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Research: A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Get Started

Does hearing the word “research” send you into stress mode? You’re not alone! Many learners feel overwhelmed at the thought of having to complete a research-based assignment. If this is your first time doing research at a college level and you’re not sure where to start we can help make the process less intimidating.

We believe the easiest way to tackle a large research assignment is to break it down into steps. We can help create a plan that will guide you through each stage of the research process. Explore some of the services and resources available to you:

Book a Research Appointment

Book a Research Appointment to connect with knowledgeable library staff member at a time that works for you!

The Library can provide a 1hr appointment (online or in-person) with students to discuss their research needs in the form of advice or assistance regarding search strategy, finding resources, and basic citation support. Students can book a maximum of 1 research appointment per week.

Please include within the booking form the reason for your appointment or details about the type of research support you require. This information helps library staff prepare for the appointment to make the best use of the time. If relevant, please bring a copy of your assignment or notes as a reference point so we can effectively start you on your research journey. Without this information Library staff will not be able to accept your appointment request.

Note: If there are no available time slots listed, contact us and we will try to arrange a time to meet with you.

If you have a research question or are in need of less in-depth research help, you can drop by our Research Desk in room C350.

The Library Research Guide

Use the Research Guide to help you with every stage of writing a research paper. This process is broken down into six steps:

  1. Define Your Topic: Picking a good topic is key and can make or break the research process. So what makes a topic good? We suggest choosing a subject that interests you and will hold your attention. Explore what information is available on that topic to ensure that you can find what you need. If a topic is too specific, you may need to expand your search; if the topic is too vague, you may need to narrow it down.
  2. Plan Your Search: Once you have spent some time gathering background information on your topic, you should have a decent grasp of some search terms that would be relevant to your subject. Check out the Library’s Subject Guides to find resources that would make a good starting point for your research. Use a thesaurus to find synonyms that could help expand your search results, and make sure to record your sources as you go.
  3. Search for Resources: Once you have committed to your topic and know which search terms to use, you can start finding credible and relevant resources. Identify what resources are required for your assignment (type of publication, date range, how many sources you need etc.) and then search across all resources with the help of Page 1+. You can also search directly in each Digital Resource Collection. For help with your search, we recommend reading the FAQ titled “Page 1+: How to find resources“.
  4. Create an Outline: Once you have found relevant resources, you can use these sources to begin building your argument. To start creating an outline, you want to read all of the sources you have collected and take notes as you go; make sure to keep track of your sources in an organized way. When you are ready to write your thesis statement, remember that it needs to reflect the main argument of your paper and should only be 1-2 sentences long. It is best to outline the structure of your paper before you start writing it; this will help you to determine your main points and organize your research.
  5. Write Your Paper: This is the last step in the research paper writing process! At this point you should have a thesis statement, an outline, and a collection of sources and notes; essentially everything you need to put together your research paper.
  6. Cite Your Sources: You will be required to cite your sources. Citing is an extremely important part of the research paper writing process as it is the best way to avoid plagiarism. It provides credit to the original source, helps prove the legitimacy of your research, and gives professors the ability to find the information used in your work
The 5 steps to planning a research paper

Need Help With One of These Steps?

The following services are available to help you with research:

  • Free Workshops: Develop and strengthen your fundamental research and writing skills by registering for a free workshop! Workshops are offered online via Zoom and in-person in room C263. View the monthly Workshop Schedule to see what sessions are available.
  • The Coaching Lab at the Ottawa campus provides support in the fundamentals of writing and English as a Second Language at no charge. The Coaching lab is located in C260, on the second floor of the DARE District (C building).

Join Us for AC Day 1 on January 8th!

Happy new year! Join us for all the activities happening on January 8, 2024 for AC Day 1 and discover how the Library and Student Learning Centre (SLC) can support you in your journey towards academic success this semester and beyond.

Library Tours

This short walk through our beautiful library will introduce attendees to our onsite services and resources; such as the silent study area, collaborative learning spaces, and helpful staff. Learn how easy it is to use our self-checkout kiosks to borrow books and find out how to borrow laptops from our new 24h laptop lockers! You’ll also learn about our Coaching and Peer Tutoring Services and meet Page 1+; – it’s a lot like Google, but instead of searching the web, it searches the library’s online and in-house collection!

Event Location: Attendees to meet at the Library main desk in Room C350 (3rd Floor, C Building)

  • 9:00am – 9:30am
  • 11:00am – 11:30am
  • 1:00pm – 1:30pm
  • 3:00pm – 3:30pm

On-Campus Workshops (Ottawa Campus)

Getting Started with Brightspace & Zoom
In this workshop, you’ll get to know Brightspace, the online platform for your courses. You will learn how to access your course materials, submit assignments, take quizzes, see your grades, and more. You will also learn about Zoom, including how to set up your Zoom account, adjust your account settings for security, schedule your own zoom meetings, and work with your classmates.
*Please note, this workshop is first-come, first-serve due to limited spaces.

Event Location: Library Learning Lab (Room C263, 2nd Floor, C Building)

  • 10:00am – 11:00am
  • Can’t attend this session? Click here to check out the Student Learning Centre’s workshops running daily from January 2 to January 12, 2024.

Getting Started with Brightspace, Email, and Microsoft 365
In this workshop, you will find out how to sign in and navigate Brightspace, the online platform for your courses, so you are comfortable using it. The workshop covers how to access your course material, submit assignments, take quizzes, see your grades, and more. You will also learn about your student email and some of the Microsoft 365 apps, like Word and Teams, that you can access through your email account and that can help you in your studies.
*Please note, this workshop is first-come, first-serve due to limited spaces.

Event Location: Library Learning Lab (Room C263, 2nd Floor, C Building)

  • 11:00am – 12:00pm
  • Can’t attend this session? Click here to check out the Student Learning Centre’s workshops running daily from January 2 to January 12, 2024.

Online Workshops

Getting Started with Brightspace & Zoom

In this virtual workshop, you’ll get to know Brightspace, the online platform for your courses. You will learn how to access your course materials, submit assignments, take quizzes, see your grades, and more. You will also learn about Zoom, including how to set up your Zoom account, adjust your account settings for security, schedule your own zoom meetings, and work with your classmates.

Event Location: Virtual Event via Zoom. Click here to join the session.

  • 1:00pm – 2:00pm
  • Can’t attend this session? Click here to check out the Student Learning Centre’s workshops running daily from January 2 to January 12, 2024.

To view the full schedule of AC Day 1 activities and events please click here.

Six Steps for Successful Research

Does hearing the phrase “research paper” suddenly send you into stress mode? You’re not alone! Many learners feel overwhelmed when assigned such in-depth and detailed assignments. If this is your first time writing a research paper and you’re not sure where to start, we can help make the process less intimidating. If you do have previous experience doing research, it never hurts to acquire new strategies that can help take your skills to the next level.

We believe the easiest way to tackle a large assignment is to break it down into smaller steps. Instead of attacking your research paper head on, we’ve created a plan to help guide you through each stage of the writing process:

Define Your Topic

Picking a good topic is key and can make or break the research process. So, what makes a good topic? We suggest choosing a subject that interests you and will hold your attention. Explore what information is available on that topic to ensure that you can find what you need. If a topic is too specific, you may need to expand your search; if the topic is too vague, you may need to narrow it down. Turn your topic into a question and see if you can argue or prove it. The following resources can help you with this step:

Plan your Search

Once you have spent some time gathering background information on your topic, you should have a decent grasp of some search terms that would be relevant to your subject.

  • Check out the library’s Subject Guides to find resources that would make a good starting point for your research.
  • Use a thesaurus to find synonyms that could help expand your search results, and make sure to record your sources as you go.
  • For further help planning your search terms visit Step 2 of the Research Guide.
  • Register for an upcoming Starting a Paper – Improving Your Search Strategies Workshop to learn how to produce appropriate search terms and find resources using the web and library resources.

Search for Resources

Once you have committed to your topic and know which search terms to use, you can start finding credible and relevant resources. This step will be more time consuming than the first two – just remember to take it all in stride and try not to get overwhelmed. Identify what resources are required for your assignment (type of publication, date range, how many sources you need etc.) and then search across all resources with the help of the library’s Page 1+ search tool. You can also search directly within the A-Z Database list.

For help using Page 1+, check out our related FAQ’s or book a one-on-one research appointment with Library staff. The following resources can also help:

  • Explore Step 3 of our Research Guide to find tutorials, tips for search strategies and in-depth information on evaluating web resources.
  • The Learning Portal’s Fake News Hub will help you to recognize common indicators of fake news, understand the consequences of careless sharing, and learn to become a fact-checker.
  • Check out the Learning Portal’s How to Research module to learn more about the different types of resources and how to search through a library or on the web.
  • Register for an upcoming Evaluating Resources Workshop to find out how to evaluate the quality of resources using the ‘C.R.A.A.P’ test—a guideline for critically analyzing sources—so you can avoid fake news and ensure quality research.

Create an Outline

Once you have found relevant resources, you can use these sources to begin building your argument. To start creating an outline, you want to read all the sources you have collected and take notes as you go; make sure to keep track of your sources in an organized way.

When you are ready to draft your thesis statement, remember that it needs to reflect the main argument of your paper and should only be 1-2 sentences long. It is best to outline the structure of your paper before you start writing it; this will help you to determine your main points and organize your research.

  • Step 4 of our Research Guide will help you develop your thesis statement and create an effective outline of your paper.
  • The Coaching Lab offers free online and on-campus (Ottawa) Coaching in the subject of writing. Coaches can help you with grammar, brainstorming and outlining, preliminary research, thesis development, formatting a paper, and more.

Write your Paper

This is the last step in the research paper writing process! At this point you should have a thesis statement, an outline, and a collection of sources and notes; everything you need to put together your research paper.

  • Step 5 of our Research Guide will point you towards resources that can help structure your paragraphs, incorporate your sources, and guide you through the editing process.
  • Register for any of the upcoming Research & Writing workshops to find out how to start a paper, how to find academic articles and other resources, and more.

Cite your Sources

You will be required to cite your sources. Citing is an extremely important part of the research paper writing process as it is the best way to avoid plagiarism. It provides credit to the original source, helps prove the legitimacy of your research, and gives professors the ability to find the information used in your work. Fortunately for you, there are several resources that can help you with citation:

  • Check out the Citing and Documenting Sources Guide to find citation style guides and tools.
  • Visit the Learning Portal’s How to Cite module for help understanding the different citation styles and for an explanation on how to cite various sources.
  • Register for an upcoming Cite Right! APA Bootcamp workshop to gain hands-on experience creating references for different types of sources.
  • Also check out the new AI: Generative Intelligence guide to learn more about citing AI tools in your work. Before you cite, confirm with your instructor that the use of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are allowed for your assignment.

With so many supportive services and resources available to you, research doesn’t have to be stressful! If you have questions, please visit your campus Library in person, or contact us online via our Library Live Chat.

Discovery begins on Page 1+

The AC Library is excited to announce the official launch of Page 1+, the innovative new search tool for industry-relevant resources!

Page 1+ gives you easy access to the library’s collection. These resources have been hand-selected to be up to date and relevant to the specific programs offered by Algonquin College. With its intuitive design and powerful engine, Page 1+ will empower our students to complete their assignments more efficiently and effectively than ever before!

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Page 1+ is convenient. Regardless of when, where or what you’re studying, Page 1+ users will experience free, convenient access to their college library’s collection of expertly curated materials. The Page 1+ platform’s intuitive and accessible design takes the work out of research, inviting discovery, encouraging curiosity, and steering its users towards success.
  • Page 1+ is easy. With its single sign-on feature, discovering and accessing resources is a seamless experience. Users will no longer require a separate library account to login and can use their College Network Account.
  • To ensure your course materials are up to date, please check your Brightspace links. Links harvested directly from the database source will continue to work during/after this upgrade. Links harvested from our One Search tool should be replaced with a direct link to the source database before August 31, 2022.

Questions about Page 1+? Visit our How to Use Page 1+ Guide or contact us at library@algonquincollege.com for support.

Coming Soon: Page 1+ the New Resource Search Tool

Big changes are coming! The Library’s One Search tool will be replaced by Page 1+ in late July of 2022.

What is Page 1+?

  • Page 1+ is the new resource search tool presented by College libraries Ontario (CLO), and in partnership with Ontario College Library Services (OCLS), and leverages the expertise and resources of 18 Ontario college libraries.
  • Page 1+ provides access to library resources whenever, wherever, or however you need them – at home, on campus, or on the go!
  • Page 1+ offers up to date, relevant, academic research materials, directly from the Library.
  • With Page 1+ you can complete your research faster than ever before by receiving easy access to industry-relevant resources.
  • Contributors from across the province share in the operation and maintenance of the single universal system, streamline the research process for students and faculty.

More information and updates will be provided on our website and social media channels as we prepare for the launch of this new resource search tool. If you have questions about upcoming changes, please contact us via email at library@algonquincollege.com or by using our Library Live Chat service.

Discovery begins on Page 1+!