Reseach is . . .

2. 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 . . .

3. 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 . ..

5. REVIEW THE MISSIONOF YOUR ASSIGNMENT AGAIN! • What is your FOCUS – topic and research question? • Did you have to choose a thesis to research? Preparing …

7. 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 …

8. EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF YOUR SOURCES In any university assignment, you want to ensure the information you present isCONVINCING and PERSUASIVE. Think about the following CRITERIAwhen 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

9. 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 • Has the information been outdated by something more recent?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?

10. The internet • Google *Try Google Scholar instead, via the Library website • Wikipedia • General reference texts, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias • Public Libraries Use these 5 sources withCAUTION

11. When SEARCHING for RESOURCES • You need to consider the SYNONYMSthat others in the field might use to discuss the topic: Develop your ‘keyword’ searching skills

12. KEY QUESTIONS • How do I IDENTIFY INFORMATIONthat is relevant? • What are the QUALITIESOF GOODinformation? • How do I EXTRACT RELEVANT information? • What isHONESTuse of information? • What is DISHONEST use of information? Processing information

13. 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

14. BEFORE YOU START PROCESSING REVIEW 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? Processing information