Step 6: Study Key Sources

  
1. Do Initial Planning   
2. Choose a Topic   
3. Do Initial Search   
4. Refine topic   
5. Identify key sources   
6. Study key sources    
7. Integrate   
8. Present findings  
Creativity  
 
Beginner's mind 
Copyright
References
 Study your key sources in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the content that relates to your topic. 

At an elementary level, understanding means retaining information: when asked, you can repeat what the author said. But an in-depth understanding also includes insights into issues such as 

  • relationships between pieces of information
  • the point of view of the author
  • other possible interpretations
  • implications for society or for research.
To gain an in-depth understanding of your key sources, use the strategies described below. 

Read actively

You need to be engaged and attentive while reading. One way to do this is to approach reading as a conversation between you and the author. You are a participant in a dialogue. This requires you to think about and respond to what you read. 

According to Adler and Van Doren (1972, p. 46), the essence of active reading is asking questions. 

  • Ask questions about the structure of the text: What is the overall, unifying message? What are the parts and how do they fit together? What problem is the author trying to solve?

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  • Ask questions about the content: What are the main propositions and supporting arguments? What solutions are proposed for problems addressed by the author?
As Adler and Van Doren point out, active reading requires effort. For the efforts you make to read and think actively, you will be repaid with new insights and creative ideas...maybe not today, but eventually. Give yourself credit for your efforts. 

Active reading is a learnable skill that improves with practice. As with any valuable skill, patience and persistence pays off. 

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Vary your reading speed 

By varying your reading speed, you can cover material more efficiently and with better comprehension. 

Because you have already skimmed the material, you already have a general idea of the structure and content of what you are reading. 

You have also narrowed down your topic, so you have a good idea of what you are looking for. It is not necessary to read a source from start to finish. 

  • Scan headings to find relevant passages.

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  • Slow down to focus carefully on the passages that are most important.
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Take notes 

Taking notes helps you to read actively. Notes are also important as input to the next step in the research process, in which you integrate information from sources with your ideas. 
  • Write notes that help you navigate a source. You can write these notes on the source itself (unless it is a library book!). For example, put asterisks next to important headings in the table of contents. 

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  • Write notes about key passages. Identify the source and page number (or web page) on each note you create. You need to give proper attribution when you reference the source in your work.

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  • Record your thoughts and ideas. Be sure to distinguish them from the notes about the source.

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  • Record complete bibliographical information about each source you will use. 
    • There are several ways to record notes. 3 x 5 cards work well, and make it easy to rearrange the notes when you put together your paper or presentation. Another way is to type notes in word processing files. Some people use lined legal pads. 

    Be careful not to inadvertently plagiarize or violate copyright laws. As Booth, Colomb, and Williams point out, this can easily happen if you neglect to put quotation marks around a quote when you write a note (1995, p. 77). 

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    Step 6 Outcomes

    • In-depth understanding of key sources as they relate to topic 

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    • Notes on key passages, identifying sources and web page addresses 

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    • Notes on reactions to key sources 

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    • Complete bibliographic notes for sources 
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    Evaluating Online Information