How Long Should Research Take?

University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville

How Long Should Research Take?

Time goes by quickly when you have an assignment. How long the research process takes varies by:

the nature of the assignment,
the topic, and how well it is covered in the literature (i.e., reference books, books, journals and other sources),
what's available in our library,
the length of time allotted for the assignment,
the expertise of the researcher.

Things to keep in mind:

Start early so that you can take your time, and revise your strategy or your paper if necessary. Starting early also allows more time to be creative in your approach (Taylor, et al., 1966).
Some topics will have a huge amount of material available, while some will have little or none, depending on many variables. Authors get paid more, and more often, to write about certain things; certain topics, if especially esoteric or unusual, may have nothing available here (rarely!).
If you need background material, encyclopedias (such as the Encyclopaedia Brittanica) may be a good place to begin. Subject encyclopedias in the Reference collection may help more, or give more specific detail.
Conducting research normally takes longer than you expect.
In general, the shorter the paper, the shorter the time the research is likely to take.

Try to get more references for material than you think you'll need, in case some of the books or journals aren't on the shelves when you want to use them. Frustration and backtracking are a normal part of the process. Reference librarians can guide you to strategies that can save you time and can sometimes help you do your research more effectively. Start early so that we can help you better. Ask at the Reference Desk, phone 575-6645 or email refer@uark.edu for assistance.