Before you can write a great essay, you must find great information. In a university library or a digital database, you will be faced with thousands of articles. Success depends on your ability to find, evaluate, and organize these sources.
This guide focuses on the 16 phrasal verbs you need to talk about your research project. Using these terms correctly will help you build a stronger argument for your assignments.
Comparison Table: Research Phrasal Verbs vs. Formal English
| Phrasal Verb (Research) | Research Action | Formal One-Word Alternative |
| Look through | Examining quickly | Examine |
| Dig up | Finding hidden info | Discover |
| Check out | Investigating | Investigate |
| Come across | Finding by chance | Encounter |
| Weed out | Removing unwanted info | Eliminate |
| Sift through | Analyzing carefully | Analyze |
| Rule out | Deciding against | Exclude |
| Look into | Investigating validity | Research |
| Break down | Dividing info | Categorize |
| Flesh out | Adding detail | Elaborate |
| Point toward | Suggesting a result | Indicate |
| Sum up | Summarizing | Conclude |
| Back up | Supporting with facts | Corroborate |
| Go over | Checking again | Review |
| Fit in | Matching a theory | Consistent |
| Note down | Writing briefly | Record |
Searching for Information
The first step of any project is finding the right material. These verbs describe the active search for knowledge in an academic setting.
1. Look through
To look through means to examine a collection of things quickly to find what you want.
- Example: You should look through the bibliography of this book to find more relevant sources.
2. Dig up
To dig up means to find information that is difficult to locate or has been hidden for a long time.
- Example: The student managed to dig up an old report from the 1990s that supports her theory.
3. Check out
To check out means to borrow a book from a library or to investigate a specific lead to see if it is useful.
- Example: I need to check out three more journals before the university library closes for the weekend.
4. Come across
To come across means to find something by chance while you are looking for something else.
- Example: While researching climate change, I come across a fascinating article on urban planning.
Evaluating Your Sources
Not every article you find will be useful for your essay. You must learn to separate academic facts from personal opinions.
5. Weed out
To weed out means to remove things that are not useful or not wanted from a large group.
- Example: You must weed out any sources that do not come from a peer-reviewed academic journal.
6. Sift through
To sift through means to examine a large amount of information very carefully to find the most important parts.
- Example: The researcher spent the whole day sifting through data to find a clear trend in the results.
7. Rule out
To rule out means to decide that something is not possible or not suitable for your specific study.
- Example: We can rule out this specific study because the sample size was much too small to be accurate.
8. Look into
To look into means to investigate the background or the validity of a claim made by an author.
- Example: My professor asked me to look into the funding behind the research to ensure it is not biased.
Analyzing and Organizing Evidence
Once you have your sources, you need to understand how they fit into your academic argument.
9. Break down
To break down means to separate complex information into smaller parts to understand it better.
- Example: It is helpful to break down the author’s argument into three main points.
10. Flesh out
To flesh out means to add more details, examples, or information to a basic idea or a short outline.
- Example: You have a good thesis, but you need to flesh out the second paragraph with more evidence.
11. Point toward
To point toward means to suggest that a specific conclusion or result is likely to be true.
- Example: The initial findings of the experiment point toward a link between diet and memory.
12. Sum up
To sum up means to express the main points of a very long text in a short and simple way.
- Example: Can you sum up the researcher’s main conclusion in just one or two sentences?
13. Back up
To back up means to support a claim or a theory with facts, statistics, or expert evidence.
- Example: If you make a bold claim in your essay, you must back it up with a reliable source.
14. Go over
To go over means to examine something again to check for errors or to improve the clarity of the work.
- Example: Please go over your list of references to make sure they follow the correct university style.
15. Fit in
To fit in means to see how a new piece of information matches your existing theory or argument.
- Example: This new discovery does not fit in with the traditional way of thinking about physics.
16. Note down
To note down means to write down an important piece of information so you do not forget it during your research.
- Example: Make sure to note down the page number of every quote you plan to use in your paper.
Succeeding in Your Research
Finding the right evidence is the foundation of all academic success. By using these 16 phrasal verbs, you can move through the university library with more confidence. These phrases help you describe exactly how you are finding and using information for your studies.
Remember that research is a slow process of discovery. Do not be afraid to weed out sources that are not helpful or go over your data multiple times. When you learn to analyze evidence properly, your writing will become much more professional and persuasive.
This guide is part of Academic English: A Guide to Phrasal Verbs for Academic Success. Visit the main page to explore more phrasal verb themes related to study.
If you want to have natural conversations with your friends about study life, visit our guide on Navigating Your Studies with 21 Phrasal Verbs.
