Want to learn more about a particular issue? Not sure what community problem you’d like to address? Taking time out for research can put you on the right track.

Why is it important to research your issue?

The more you learn about your issue, the more it will help your Venture Team find a solution. Additionally, the more information you know, the more credibility you will have when requesting donations, recruiting volunteers, and presenting to the greater community.

What do you already know?

Before you look to outside sources of information, you may find it helpful to examine what you and your team already know. Start with the very basics of your issue: who, what, when, where, how, and why. For example, who does this issue affect and how? What groups, organizations or institutions already work on this issue? After you assess what you know, think about what information you would like to learn. Below are three major resources you can use when conducting your research.

1. The Internet

The easiest way to do research on the Internet is to use a search engine such as Google.com, Yahoo.com, or Ask.com. Your search will most likely turn up many different websites, so remember that some are more credible than others.

• Websites that end in .org are usually nonprofit organizations. You can look for universities and colleges websites by doing a google search. The information these websites publish tends to be credible, but you should still check the author, date, and references before determining credibility.
• Websites that have .gov are government websites, and they are often a great place to find national statistics and to learn about government policies.
• Websites that end in .com or .net are usually commercial websites. They may be owned by a business or an individual. These sites have a tendency to be the least credible. Examine the author, date, and references carefully to determine the credibility of the information.

Note: Regardless of whether information is provided by a nonprofit, commercial, educational, or government website, always consider the reason why the website is providing the information. Is that reason legitimate? How would that reason influence the type of information provided?

2. Interviewing Experts

One of your most valuable resources may be experts from your community. For example, if your Venture is addressing homelessness, you could talk to the director of a local shelter. Remember that these experts might be able to help you in the future as your Venture is establishing partnerships and collaborations in the community.

3. The Library

The public library can provide many different resources. Some libraries have scholarly journals, which are useful because they contain reliable, peer-reviewed information. Popular magazines and newspapers may also be useful to you if you are interested in current events or personal stories.Tip: Libraries sometimes have access to full-text articles online though subscription news databases such as LexisNexis.

Library books may also be helpful, but be sure to check the copyright date to determine if the information in the book is current. Tip: The bibliography at the end of a book can point you to other useful books and articles.

Information Mapping

An Information Map is one way to record all of the different information sources available to you. Start with your main question in the middle of the chart. Think about different resources available to you for researching the question. Draw an arrow to each of these options. Next, think about how you can use each resource. Draw an arrow to each idea. Continue until you have exhausted all possibilities.