1. Getting Organized

• Know your logistics before starting
• Plan
• Gather necessary materials
• Outline/Concept Map
• Get to know your librarian, make an appointment
• Schedule your time wisely
• Figure out a reference management solution before you start (i.e. RefWorks, Flow, Mendeley)
• Colour coordinate materials

2. Choosing a Topic

• Know your question
• Not too narrow/broad
• Start broad and narrow your topic if you don't already have a narrow focus.  If you have a narrow focus to start, expand as necessary.
• Evolving topic
• Look for "future research questions" section of other research (not always a specific section, but usually near the end of articles).
• Try different terminology for searches
• Pick something you like!
• Pick a topic that you can work with within your time constraints (i.e. don't pick a topic that requires the library to bring in books from other places when the assignment is due in 2 days).

3. Search Strategies/Finding Material

• Once you find one good source, follow up on the references cited (i.e. snowball)
• Try four different searches: LibrarySearch (books), LibrarySearch (articles), Google Scholar, Google
• If you're going to use Google Scholar, do so via the link on the library's main page.  This allows you to avoid paywalls when accessing content the library owns.
• Interviews with stakeholders and staff
• Start with initial readings and look at references
• Find research and primary sources
• Network
• Look at centres of knowledge in community
• Learn to look at interdisciplinary source
• NEVER, EVER pay for access to material.  The library can bring it in for free for you via interlibrary loan. 

4. Evaluating Material

• Look for recent, peer-reviewed material.
• Think about assumptions in the article

5. Citing

• OWL Purdue is a great resource
• Look for the Library's Citation Guide
• There's a grey area in including sources for general ideas.  If in doubt, ask your professor, a librarian, or the Writing Centre.

6. Writing

• Make sure to have a thesis statement.
• Create an outline, ask your professor to look over.
• Have others review/edit your work.
• Try not to repeat the same word over and over.  Use a thesaurus.
• Keep a regular schedule of deadlines (i.e. I'll write on Tuesday afternoons)

As brainstormed by the first MCP cohort, September 2015.