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Driven by a question or problem Seeking information with a clear

goal in mind A step-by-step process Going beyond just the facts Taking a new look at information

and taking a stand on it

Reseach is . . .

Just gathering information Rearranging facts to fill a sheet of

paper Combining one paragraph from an

encyclopedia with one paragraph from a website (that is plagiarism)

Rewording someone else’s ideas without adding any of your own

Research is NOT . ..

REVIEW THE MISSION OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT AGAIN!

What is your FOCUS – topic and research question?

Did you have to choose a thesis to research?

Preparing …

LOOK OVER THE LIST OF

POSSIBLE RESOURCES-Books-Newspapers -Journals-Online Databases -Experts -Places to visit

What information sources MATCHED your info needs? What were the BEST and MOST SUITABLE

resources? Were you able to USE COMPUTERS to find resources

Accessing Resources …

EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF YOUR SOURCESIn any university assignment, you want to ensure the information you present is CONVINCING and PERSUASIVE. Think about the following CRITERIA when you consider using any resource as a reference:

• RELEVANCE • CREDENTIALS OF AUTHOR/PUBLISHER • EVIDENCE

• DATE OF PUBLICATION

• STANCE OF AUTHOR/PUBLISHER

• LEVEL OF SPECIALIZATION

• AUDIENCE

• CROSS-REFERENCING

• OMISSIONS

• REFEREEING

EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF YOUR SOURCES

RELEVANCE. • Is the resource closely related to your topic? How does the source help you directly answer the question you

have been assigned?

CREDENTIALS OF AUTHOR/PUBLISHER. • Who is the author? Are they an expert or aligned with a reputable educational or research institution? • Is the publishing company reputable?

EVIDENCE. • Are the claims well-evidenced and the arguments logical and coherent?

DATE OF PUBLICATION. • Has the information been outdated by something more recent?

STANCE OF AUTHOR/PUBLISHER. • Does the author (or publisher) have a clear stance or agenda that might cloud their objectivity? Has the author

fairly considered many points of view?

LEVEL OF SPECIALIZATION. • Does the resource focus on my specific topic and address it in detail, rather than just skimming the surface?

AUDIENCE. • Is the resource written for ‘just anyone’ or is it specifically addressed to an academic way of thinking?

CROSS-REFERENCING. • Has the resource been cited by other experts in the field?

OMISSIONS. • Has the resource failed to mention any important theorists or concepts that might indicate it is only considering

one perspective?

REFEREEING. • Has the resource been refereed?

1. The internet2. Google

*Try Google Scholar instead, via the Library website

3. Wikipedia4. General reference texts,

such as dictionaries and encyclopedias

5. Public LibrariesUse these 5 sources with CAUTION

When SEARCHING for RESOURCES - You need to consider the SYNONYMS that others in

the field might use to discuss the topic:

Develop your ‘keyword’ searching skills

 

Essay topic keywordsImportant synonyms

andrelated terms

 

 Psychology essay on 'RETAIL THERAPY'  

Compulsive buying behaviour, oniomania, hoarding 

Film studies essay on 'YOUTH IN FILM'  

teen/teenage, adolescent/adolescence, cinema, movies

 Architecture essay on 'GREEN HOUSING'  

Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD), sustainable housing, orientation, passive solar, embodied energy, thermal mass

 Education essay on 'GENERIC SKILLS'  

Graduate attributes, key competencies, key performance indicators (KPIs), transferrable skills

KEY QUESTIONS1. How do I IDENTIFY INFORMATION that

is relevant?2. What are the QUALITIES OF GOOD

information?3. How do I EXTRACT RELEVANT

information?4. What is HONEST use of information?5. What is DISHONEST use of

information?

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To make your SEARCHING MORE POWERFUL, there are also a number of words and characters that can help you .

*Be mindful, however, that symbols can vary across databases.

Use the ‘help’ section in any database to show you which symbols to use.

Powerful searches

BEFORE YOU START PROCESSINGREVIEW YOUR ASSIGNMENT AGAIN!

Are you sure you know what the assignment requires?

Review the length and scope of the assignment. Review the due date(s). Review how you will be evaluated.

How will you PRESENT THE RESULTS of your research?

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