Searching for Information
Conclusion of Searching for Information Unit
Unit Reflection
- How can the skills you’ve learned in this unit support research and decision-making beyond academic assignments? Reflect on how being a more strategic and critical searcher might impact your personal, professional, or civic life.
- In what ways can refining your research question improve the quality of the sources you find? How does narrowing your focus lead to more useful, targeted information?
- What challenges do you still face when trying to find relevant, high-quality sources—and how might you address them? Think about barriers like overwhelming search results, vague topics, or unfamiliar interfaces.
Unit Review
As you wrap up this unit, you’ve started to build a solid foundation in the research process, from recognizing what you need to know to forming a focused academic research question. You’ve practiced creating and refining keywords, adjusting your search strategies, and choosing the right tools for your research, whether that’s Search@UW, a subject database, or Google. Most importantly, you’ve learned to look closely at your search results and choose sources based on how well they support your goals, not just what’s familiar or easy to find.
It’s normal to still have questions about when to shift your research question, how to navigate databases, or how to tell if a source is worth your time. These are all part of becoming a more confident researcher, and they get easier with practice, curiosity, and a willingness to try different tools.
Your next step is to put these strategies to work. Start with a clear question, plan your search with intention, and stay open to refining your approach as you go. Try out new databases, tweak your keywords, and ask for help when you need it. Purposeful searching isn’t just about gathering information, it’s about discovering ideas that help you think more clearly, ask better questions, and create stronger work.
