This frequently asked questions draws on the expertise of students who have taken Honors 110 in past years to address some common concerns and issue that come up during the research process. Keep in mind that these students were in many different sections of Honors 110 over the course of several years, so they are giving you an overview of the kinds of research processes that you will be undertaking in this class — but anything you hear from your instructor or GTA supercedes their experience: like any good class, Honors 110 improves each year.
What is the point of Honors 110?
What are the benefits of taking Honors 110?
What are the steps in the Honors 110 research process?
Why shouldn’t I pick a research question to which I already know the answer?
What kinds of topics are appropriate in this class?
How do you select a topic and research question?
What does “multiple perspectives” mean?
What are the characteristics of a good research question?
How can I tell if my topic is too broad?
How can I tell if my topic is significant?
Is it okay if my research question changes?
How is the research process in Honors 110 different from the research I did in high school?
How do you evaluate the quality of sources you find in the research process?
How can I tell if a source is reliable?
What is a “scholarly conversation”?
How do you identify the relationship between sources?
In high school, I started a project with a claim; how is the Honors 110 research process different?
What tools were most helpful for your research?
How can the library help me with my research?
What are scholarly databases and how can they help me?
How can the librarians help me?
Do you have any tips for a current Honors 110 student?