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Auggie Success

A collection of guides to help Auggies navigate academic success

Introduction to Research Projects

A research project can be defined as any number of things:

  • Compiling a list of sources (a bibliography), 

  • Finding sources to quote in a discussion,
  • A 1-page summary of a topic,
  • A 5-page essay, or
  • An involved 10+ page paper

Regardless of your specific assignment, the basic steps to research are the same.


Tip: If writing a college-level paper seems intimidating, don't worry! Everyone will have a method of writing papers that works the best for them, and you may need to experiment until you find your own preferred workflow. This guide focuses on the research portion, but this video from Crash Course has some great writing tips if you're feeling stuck before you even get started.

And don't forget, you can visit the Augsburg Writing Center for in-person help.


Once you're ready to begin, you can start by understanding your assignment.