Research Skills Revision

Research Skills Revision

• Sources of Information:
  • Tutor notes/booklists
  • Course textbooks
  • Bibliographies (lists of consulted sources)
  • Periodical indexes (locate magazine/journal articles)
  • Databases and information resources

Using Keywords

• Variants/Truncation: Expands searches by allowing variations of words (e.g., "compu*" retrieves "computer," "computers," "computing"). May include unrelated terms.
• Wildcard Characters: Used in truncation (e.g., "?" or "*") to broaden searches.

Scope

• Thesaurus: Finds synonyms/related terms for broader or narrower searches (e.g., "education" to "universities").
• Refining Research/Boolean Operators:
  • AND: Narrows search; both terms must be present (e.g., "computers AND education").
  • OR: Broadens search; either term can be present (e.g., "computers OR primary").
  • NOT: Excludes terms from the search (e.g., "computers AND education NOT primary").

Journals and Other Resources

• Academic Journals: Peer-reviewed publications where researchers share findings.
• Indexes: List titles, authors, and publication details of journal articles.
• Abstracts: Summarize the content of a source.
• Journal Articles: Scholarly content published in academic journals.
• Text Organization: How text is structured to help readers understand information.

Research Paper Layout

• Title
• Aims
• Methods
• Keywords (around 6)
• Abstract (250 words max)
• Findings
• Introduction
  • Problem structure
  • Importance of study
• Literature Review
  • Theoretical framework
  • Genre
  • Previous studies (and their limitations)
• Methodology
  • Sample/participants
  • Data collection
  • Data analysis
• Results
  • Statistical analysis
  • Informed consent (written/spoken)
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References
• Contribution
• Recommendation

Types of Text Structures

• Definitions/Descriptions: Draw mental images.
• Sequence/Order: Chronological order.
• Cause & Effect: Causal relationships.
• Compare & Contrast: Show differences/similarities.
• Problem & Solution: Identify problems and propose solutions.

Summarizing and Quoting

• Summarizing: Paraphrasing using own words; changing structure/sentences. Using more than 3-4 same words is plagiarism.
• Quoting: Writing exactly how it is; acknowledge the author; use quotation marks. For quotations longer than 40 words, indent, and use a ½-inch margin before the quote.

Citation Formats (APA)

• Books: (Author's Last Name, Year).
• Books with Two Authors: (Author 1's Last Name & Author 2's Last Name, Year).
• Edited Books: (Editor's Last Name, Year).
• Websites: (Organization/Author's Last Name, Year) or (Organization/Author's Last Name, n.d.).
• Articles: (Author's Last Name, Year)
• Multiple authors: Use (Smith et al., 2023) for 3 or more authors in the first citation and subsequent citations.

Reading Skills and Techniques

• Skimming: Review for a general overview/proofreading.
• Reading Quickly: Assess an impression of the text quickly.
• Scanning: Find specific information (dates, names, etc.).

Note-Taking Methods

• Writing down every word: detailed but time-consuming.
• Outlining: Easy to organize, may miss details.
• Diagramming: Good for memorization, can be confusing.
• Underlining/highlighting: Important points, but relies on personal judgement.
• Computer scanning: Digitally saves, requires a printer.
• Photocopying: Exact copy of material, but doesn't involve active engagement.
• Margin notes: Connect ideas and capture thoughts.
• Audio recording: Captures everything, time-consuming to listen back to.

Indexes and Reading

• Index: Alphabetical listing for locating information.
• Page Numbers: Where the topic appears.
• Cross References: Related topics (“see” or “see also”).
• Subentries: Break down broad topics.
• Intensive Reading: Analyzing text line by line; studying its content thoroughly.
• Extensive Reading: Reading for pleasure or to gain general knowledge; not as thorough.
• Pre-reading: Understanding the text before beginning intensive or extensive reading.
• While-reading: actively engaging with the content.
• Post-reading: reflect and summarize the important points.

Common Symbols and Abbreviations

• Mathematical Symbols: Equal to (=), not equal to (≠), greater than (>), less than (<), etc.
• Abbreviations: Useful for short-form notes (e.g., "Cf.", "Ibid.")

Test your knowledge on essential research skills including sources of information and the use of keywords. This quiz covers everything from databases to the employment of Boolean operators for refining searches. Perfect for students looking to improve their research capabilities!