HANDBOOK

STUDY SKILLS

NAME:

TUTOR:

RESEARCH METHODS

These notes are to help you with essays and presentations.

1) Read and understand your brief

It is essential when writing essays or preparing presentations that you understand the task. If you don’t, ask your tutor to clarify it as soon as possible. Do not waste time worrying!

2) PRIMARY and SECONDARY RESEARCH

All research involves aspects of primary and secondary research.

• PRIMARY RESEARCH includes any information obtained through first-hand observation and investigation, for example – visiting an exhibition, drawing from life, interviews and questionnaires.
• SECONDARY RESEARCH includes information (from books, journals, articles, videos or internet sites) that has been produced by others.

3) Libraries and computer rooms

These facilities are well equipped for your needs. Familiarise yourself with any resources they contain, such as:

• Catalogues
• Computers
• CD-ROMs
• Internet facilities

It is often advised that you simply browse along the library shelves if you are new to the library. Make yourself familiar with the books, periodicals, videos, cuttings files and reference materials. Be aware of how things are categorised. Always ask for help if you need it – the librarians and assistants are experts in finding information.

4) Be selective

Don’t overwhelm yourself with too much information at once, this will make tasks seem too daunting to address. Use the contents page or the index to help you find what you want from the book – most of the time it won’t be necessary to read the book from beginning to end.

But remember, consulting just one book is unlikely to be enough for most tasks…

5) Take notes

• Scan read and skim texts looking for the information you need
• Read carefully through the passages you select
• Make relevant notes IN YOUR OWN WORDS, this will help you take the information onboard and commit it to your long-term memory
• Question what you are reading, do you agree or disagree with what the writer is saying? Why/why not?
• If you copy passages from books directly, remember to identify it as a quote. Plagiarism (copying other peoples work, without referencing), whether accidental or deliberate, will result in failure.
• Record bibliographical information as you go along: make a note of the details of every book, magazine, internet site etc. you read or use (see section on bibliography and referencing)

6) Stick to your area of research

Re-read your set brief from time to time to ensure that you are doing exactly what you have been asked. Sometimes you can get so involved in a topic that you drift away from the task at hand and fail to meet all of the criteria.

7) Independent and original research and study

Remember, there must be evidence of this within your work.

You must reference all source material you have used.

Copying other people’s ideas and quotations without doing this is officially known as plagiarism and will result in failure.

8) Listing sources

All source material referred to in preparation of an essay and in the essay itself should always be included at the back of your essay. Your bibliography should be grouped under the following headings:

• Bibliography (books)
• Magazines and periodicals
• Websites and internet sources (mailing lists, newsgroups, bulletin boards etc.)
• Films and videos
• Television and radio programmes
• Interviews
• Other sources (lectures, archives etc.)

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 731