Research Mindset Tip
Watch this space on the Rhetoric Subject Guide for tips about how to get yourself into a research mindset. Searching skills can only take you so far when gathering information. You also need to stop and think about your frame of mind and your attitude as you do research. Start thinking about how you are thinking until it becomes second nature.
Welcome to the Rhetoric Subject Guide
It's your library and we are here to help!
This guide contains links to resources and research tips that will be especially useful for Rhetoric research projects. Get started by exploring all the ways you can get help from your library below, and then use the tabs on the left side of the page to explore what you need to know.
The Research Cycle
1. Explore Your Topic
Before you settle on a topic, it's a good idea to do some background research first. The library is a great source for background information!
2. Refine Your Topic
Now that you've done some background research, it's time to narrow your topic. Remember: the shorter your final paper, the narrower your topic needs to be.
3. Search For Sources
After you've refined your topic, it's time to start searching for sources. Do you need books, articles, or something else?
4. Evaluate Your Sources
It's always a good idea to evaluate sources before using them in your assignment. Do you need to have scholarly sources or the most recent research?
5. Write
Pull everything together to share your argument and your evidence. Tie ideas from your sources together with your own thoughts and analysis to make a compelling case.
Guide Credit Information found on this guide has been gathered from many sources, including: tutorials from NCSU Library, LinkedIn Learning Information Literacy course (available to U of Iowa affiliates), tutorials created by U of Iowa Librarian, Dan Gall, and various pieces of other U of Iowa Librarians' Subject Guides. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, please contact: andrea-anderson@uiowa.edu