1. Define your research needs and create a strategy for your process. I like to start with large concepts and dive deeper from there.
2. Set yourself up for success by organizing before you research. Know how you are going to capture bibliographic information, collate your results and link it to your work in progress.
3. Try multiple search engines for different results.
4. Better yet, use meta search engines like Dogpile and Opera for quicker results.
5. Create a list of synonyms for your searches to broaden your reach and to stay consistent when using multiple sources.
6. Use advanced search options available on Google, Yahoo and other main search engines. This will refine your results.
7. Tap into subject and industry specific search engines. Go beyond the norm. See my list of Research Resources.
8. If advanced options are not built into the search engine, use Boolean search techniques to narrow your query.
9. Learn how to conduct primary research, i.e., unplugged research. It does still exist and is valuable. The biggest part of this is finding credible SMEs (Subject Matter Experts).
10. Look to scholarly sources for more reliable information. I try to stick to sources that end in .edu or .gov, if my sources are from the USA.
11. Only use Wikipedia as a starting point to direct you to subject matter, not facts. It is not a reliable source. I try to avoid it altogether in my research.
12. Use meta search engines, such as Dogpile and Opera for quicker results.
13. Verify your sources. Always double source any fact and then fact check it before publication or broadcast.
14. Understand libel and slander laws. This is essential. Also know about copyrights, fair use and plagiarism before you begin a project.
15. When in doubt, talk to a professor, librarian or professional researcher.
16. Keep an open mind. Follow leads where they take you, not where you thought they would go. This may mean researching something unanticipated.
17. Step away from your computer and use the phone, your feet and your brain. Sometimes it is easier to make a quick phone call than to search online, particularly when you are not certain of where to look.
18. Use social media. It is quick and responsive. You won’t always get the right answer, but it’s a great place for leads.
19. Locate special collections libraries. These are invaluable. I use the special collections rooms at the Library of Congress, as well as specialty libraries such as the Folger Shakespearean Library and the Fred W. Smith Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon. Not only is the information more comprehensive at special collection libraries, but their librarians are incredible. It pays to specialize your research.
20. Study research methods the old school way…turn to experts in finding things out. Talk to them. Study their textbooks.
a) Study methods used by journalists for interviewing and doing investigative reporting
b) Read up on private investigation tools and methods*
c) Look to librarians for advice on how to research quickly and effectively
* Sound weird? It’s not. I became a registered PI in the state of Virginia after taking a comprehensive class that ran 4 hours a night, 4 nights a week for what seemed like forever. It taught me things my journalism classes never did, but that’s another article.