11 steps of the information research process and their phases

1. Identify and Define Objectives - Establishing the scope and purpose of the research project. 2. Gather Background Information - Gathering essential data related to the research topic at hand. 3. Clarify Key Terms - Being clear about what exactly needs to be researched. 4. Explore Sources - Developing a list of sources, including people, organizations, books, journals, newspapers and websites. 5. Search for Information - Using keywords and other techniques to sort through the information gathered. 6. Analyze Results - Examine the quality and relevance of the data collected. 7. Interpret Findings - Making sense of the information collected by developing hypotheses or other conclusions. 8. Explore Additional Sources - Following up on any new leads and lines of inquiry that arise during the process. 9. Report the Results - Compiling the research into a comprehensible and useful report for dissemination. 10. Validate Results - Verifying the accuracy of the research by fact-checking, testing assumptions, and questioning results. 11. Archive Information - Establishing a system for storing the research once it is complete.