Rethink the research process as an exploration of new ideas.
You can't write a good thesis statement until you've done some research.
You can't research until you know what you need to find.
You might not even know what you need to find until you have a little more background.
What's a student to do? Start with a question.
research
1 : careful or diligent search. 2 : studious inquiry or examination; especially : investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws. 3 : the collecting of information about a particular subject. (Merriam-Webster)
Good research is framed, focused and driven by strong research questions (essential questions). If you don't have questions, you run the risk of "reporting."
Essential questions have 3 characteristics:
1. Open Ended
2. Thought-provoking
3. Universal
These characteristics should also be applied to essential questions for research (or "Research Questions").
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Article from Literature Resource Center:
Koprince, Susan. "Words from the basement: Markus Zusak's The Book Thief." Notes on Contemporary Literature, vol. 41, no. 1, 2011. Literature Resource Center, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA255494819&v=2.1&u=port11162&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w&asid=2e451a97b56e6a29622de750c9bd913e. Accessed 6 Mar. 2015.
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Coupe, Laurence. "The Hero's Journey." The English Review, vol. 10, no. 3, 2000, p. 14. Literature Resource Center, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GLS&sw=w&u=port11162&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA79410681&asid=83c03544a4f053f94ca944c94bc2e4e8. Accessed 18 May 2017.
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Article from Literature Resource Center:
Aubrey, Bryan. "Critical Essay on 'Twelve Angry Men'." Drama for Students, edited by Sara Constantakis, vol. 23, Gale, 2006. Literature Resource Center. Accessed 25 Mar. 2017.