Research SkillsResearch Skills

5 simple steps for effective 5 simple steps for effective researchresearch

Ex-Ex-

PlanPlanLocateLocateOrganiseOrganiseRepresentRepresentEvaluateEvaluate

ExPLORE

PlanningPlanning

Think about the subject you are Think about the subject you are researchingresearching

What do you already know?What do you already know? What do you need to find out?What do you need to find out? Make a list of questions you would like Make a list of questions you would like

your project to answeryour project to answer Which Which keywords keywords which you will search which you will search

for?for? Make a mindmap or a list of bulletpointsMake a mindmap or a list of bulletpoints Where you will look for information?Where you will look for information?

LocatingLocating

BooksBooks – have a look at the books in the library, – have a look at the books in the library, they may be easier to understand than the they may be easier to understand than the internet as they are written specially for internet as they are written specially for teenagers. teenagers.

The InternetThe Internet - contains everything that - contains everything that anybody puts on it. You will need to search anybody puts on it. You will need to search carefully using your carefully using your keywordskeywords to see if you can to see if you can find relevant and understandable information.find relevant and understandable information.

Every time you find a useful website or book Every time you find a useful website or book make a note of the web address or the author make a note of the web address or the author and title of the book, so you can find it again and title of the book, so you can find it again easily and your teacher knows where you found easily and your teacher knows where you found the information.the information.

Website Addresses - Website Addresses - URLSURLS Before you decide to look at a website Before you decide to look at a website

–have a look at its –have a look at its urlurl. . The url will give you clues about who The url will give you clues about who

produced the site, how reliable it is produced the site, how reliable it is likely to be, whether it is biased in any likely to be, whether it is biased in any way etc. way etc.

Look at your sheet on Look at your sheet on website website evaluationevaluation to see which addresses are to see which addresses are likely to be the most useful to you.likely to be the most useful to you.

PitfallsPitfalls

Do not automatically go to the first Do not automatically go to the first website in your list – it may be totally website in your list – it may be totally irrelevant.irrelevant.

Check who made the site –read a bit Check who made the site –read a bit about them, they may be an expert, about them, they may be an expert, or they may be someone with a or they may be someone with a particular bias they wish to get particular bias they wish to get across etc.across etc.

Useful websitesUseful websites

www.idebate.org/index.php(debatabase)

www.independence.co.uk(issues key facts)

http://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2153East Rnfrewshire’s online resources ( you will

need to know your library card number to access these)

OrganiseOrganise Look through all the information you Look through all the information you

have foundhave found Keep anything that is relevantKeep anything that is relevant Get rid of anything that doesn’t really Get rid of anything that doesn’t really

answer the questions you wrote at the answer the questions you wrote at the beginning, as well as anything which beginning, as well as anything which says the same as other information says the same as other information you have found.you have found.

Organise all the information you are Organise all the information you are keeping so that it answers your keeping so that it answers your questions in a sensible order.questions in a sensible order.

RepresentRepresent

Introduce your subject, so that people Introduce your subject, so that people reading it or listening to you know what reading it or listening to you know what areas you are going to cover.areas you are going to cover.

Use all the information you have gathered to Use all the information you have gathered to answer your questions, answer your questions, BUT – remember to put it in your own words. BUT – remember to put it in your own words. DO NOT just cut and paste information DO NOT just cut and paste information straight from the internet or books.straight from the internet or books.

Finish your project with a BIBLIOGRAPHY – a Finish your project with a BIBLIOGRAPHY – a list of all the books and websites you have list of all the books and websites you have used to find information.used to find information.

EvaluateEvaluate

After you finish think about how After you finish think about how you found the informationyou found the information

Are there things you would do next Are there things you would do next time?time?

Are there things you definitely Are there things you definitely wouldn’t do again?wouldn’t do again?

What else could you do next time What else could you do next time to make your research even to make your research even better? better?