You'll notice that the research road map leads you in a loop, not a straight line. This is because research, by its nature, is a cyclical process. If you find yourself searching, reading, thinking and searching again, you're doing it right.
Before you go off into the wilderness of online databases, you should have a well-defined plan, or strategy in place. You need to know what you're looking for and how to find it. Below is a basic map* to follow:
Read background information in specialized encyclopedias.
Compile lists in your research log of the following kinds of information: search terms and phrases plus relevant synonyms; call numbers and subject headings for relevant books; names of experts who have studied the topic; and titles of scholarly journals in the field that you are exploring.
Search in your library's online catalog for titles of books you've found at the end of encyclopedia entries you've read. Use keywords and subject headings to find even more books.
Go through relevant sections of your library's book collection using the call numbers you found in Step 3.
Search in the appropriate online library databases for specific articles on your topic.
Glance over all the resources you've found to see what will be useful and to get ideas for other sources to track down.
Repeat the previous steps until you have all of the resources you identified that you'd need during the brainstorming process.
*These steps were taken from George, M. (2008). Chapter 3: Strategy and tools for discovery (61-89). In, The elements of library research. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Seven steps of the research process - This guide from Cornell University has a slightly different take on how to craft a research plan.
Research strategies - This YouTube video from Morehead State University Library talks in greater detail about the nuts and bolts of working with a strategy.