How To: Navigate the Research Process

HOW TO | NAVIGATE THE RESEARCH PROCESS

The Importance of Evaluation

Once you have collected a group of resources you need to determine if they are adequate for the assignment. This can be determining if they fit your research scope, are trustworthy, host valid information, or contain corrupted information. This can often be difficult to discern, as some information may be indistinct or unnoticeable. If you are struggling to determine any area of evaluation, feel free to reach out to your professor or a librarian for additional information and support. 

Fit the Scope

Now that you have found your resources it is important to look back at your assignment prompt to ensure your resource types meet the assignment requirements and adequately answers the prompt. If this is part of a scaffolded assignment, where many small assignments build to one large final product, ensure the resources selected will set you up for success in the future. If you are uncertain please reach out to your professor to confirm that the resources are acceptable.

Credibility & Reliability

Credibility is the trustworthiness of the individual or group presenting the information. This can be tied to the author's credentials, the authority of the publisher, or reputation in the field.

Reliability focuses on the trustworthiness of the information presented in relation to the resource. Often, this is tied to the accuracy of the information collected, the consultation of supporting documentation, a strong body of evidence supporting the research, and unbias material presented in the product. 

Researchers tend to use these words interchangeably, as they desire materials that are both reliable and credible. To ensure that you are choosing resources that are both reliable and credible, consider the following:

• Author - Who created this material? Do they have credentials like a degree, certifications, or experience in the field? Do they have a good track record for producing accurate research?
• Publisher - Who put this material into the world? Do they produce other reliable forms of information? Is the publisher affiliated with an accredited institution or organization? How does the publisher review the material prior to publishing?
• References - Does the publication have a list of resources they used when creating this work? Are the resources used reliable and credible? If there are not any resources, how are you able to determine that it is trustworthy information?
• Acquisition - Was the information ethically sourced? Can the research be replicated? Is the information up to date?
• Influence - What is the purpose of this material? Are all of the claims made logically formed? Is there any bias?

Bias

Bias is the prejudice of persons, ideas, places, or things based on preconceived notions or firmly held beliefs resulting in unfair and inaccurate representations in research. Bias can be both conscious, having awareness of your prejudice, or unconscious, lack of awareness most commonly displayed in affinity, perception, and confirmation bias. 

Bias in research often distorts or misrepresents the information collected. Below are a few common types of biases found in research:

• Selection Bias - the study sample is not representative of the target population due to the selection of specific candidates rather than randomized selection. 
• Reporting Bias - purposefully withholding information, at any part of the research process, to skew information toward a desired result.
• Observer Bias - the inaccurate or purposeful misreading of perceived actions or readings in a study, leading to inaccurate information. 
• Citation Bias - the author only selects resources that support their claims rather than those that disagree or are inconclusive. 

While many colleges, research institutions, and publishers have review boards to examine materials for bias we should remain vigilant for bias in our research and writing. 

Misinformation and its Counterparts

We all desire our information to be trustworthy, but sometimes there are errors how it is relayed, either accidentally or purposefully. There are three types of misleading information: misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. 

• Misinformation is when an individual shares false information unintentionally. 
• Disinformation is the purposeful sharing of false information in order to mislead and manipulate. 
• Malinformation is information that is true, but used in a malicious way to cause harm.