82 CHAPTER^7 Researching Your Speech in the Digital Age
best material combines several skills that increase your competence in speech-
making and contribute to academic and workplace success. They include the
ability to• Formulate a research plan
• Locate the data you need to support your ideas
• Critically evaluate sources and choose the best materials available
• Record your findings in a systematic way that avoids plagiarismThe goal of this chapter is to help you effectively accomplish these major tasks.Develop a Research Plan
Planning a search strategy at the outset will help you focus your research and save time
in the long run. The following tips have worked for many students.^3
First, analyze your topic to decide exactly what you need. Return to your
speech goals from Chapter 5 and consider the type of materials you need to engage your
specific audience. For example, ask yourself questions such as: Does the audience need
big picture information? Definitions? Background information? Identifying these ques-
tions at the start can help focus your research.
Let your topic guide your choice of sources. Some subjects, such as scientific
topics, require scientific books or articles written by experts. Other subjects may call
for personal experiences, historical facts, surveys, or statistics. Current issues need
up-to-date research, usually found in news reports.
Budget enough time into your schedule. Although studies reveal that 80 percent
of students wait until the last day or two to start working on 80 percent of their papers,^4
good research is time-consuming, so don’t expect to get appropriate high-quality,
usable information by spending an hour online or in the library the night before the
speech. Plan more than one research session, and if you need a book or article through
interlibrary loan, factor in the time it will take to get it.^5Read, highlight, and take
notes online.
Planning your research
makes the process easier
and saves time overall.
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