1. ENGLISH 283
Research for Creative Writing I

2. The Research Process

3. Ask a Question
 Research starts with Curiosity
 What do you want to know?
 May start with a general question
Ex. What would life have been like for a young
woman immigrating to New York from Ireland
during the Great Famine?

4. Brainstorm Related Terms and
Ideas
 Pick out the key  Ireland | Irish | Éire | Gaelic |
County Cork, etc.
ideas in your  Great Famine | Potato
topic/question Famine | an Gorta Mór (“the
Great Hunger”) | an
 Try to think of Drochshaol (“the bad life”)
synonyms or  New York | Ellis Island | Five
alternate phrasing Points
 Immigration | Emigration
 List any related  1845 – 1852
terms
(broader/narrower)
you can think of

5. Initial Search for Background
Information
 Read for general information on your topic
 Identify gaps in your existing knowledge
 Narrow and focus your research
Sources
 Encyclopedias and other Reference Books
 Skim a Book on the general topic
 Web Search

6. Define a Search Strategy
 Articulate what you
need to know
 Determine
where/how you are
most likely to find it
 If you don’t know,
ASK!

7. Primary and Secondary
Sources

8. Creative Writing Research
Guide
 http://libguides.sdstate.edu/creativewriting

9. Where Do I Find…
Primary Sources Secondary Sources
Library’s Catalog

 Library’s Catalog
 Library’s Databases
 ARTstor  Library’s Databases
 Print Indexes  PsychINFO
 Archives
 Historical Societies  ERIC
 Manuscript Collections  MLA International
 Museums Bibliography
 Embedded in Secondary
Sources  Print Indexes
http://libguides.sdstate.edu/creativewriting

10. Evaluate Your Results
 Did you find an answer to your research
question?
 Yes – Is the answer useful for your research
project?
 Fact vs. Opinion
 Sufficient detail?
 No – Re-evaluate your search strategy and try
something different

11. Repeat?
 Research is an
iterative
process
 Finding the
answer to your
initial question
may raise new,
more
interesting
questions

12. Ask a Question
Original Question Focus and Narrow
 What would life  What would have
have been like for a been popular or
young woman common
immigrating to New knowledge?
York from Ireland  Stories and Tales
during the Great  Flowers
Famine?  Clothes
 Occupations