There is no lack of information regarding a particular topic in the modern digital age. Every time you want to look up any data, all you have to do is use the search engine to your advantage. With Google changing the way students define “research,” it has become crucial to develop competent research skills for Research Proposal Help.
According to research, teens are most likely to turn to Google as their primary research tool 94% of the time. Yet, while there’s no doubt that the internet has made it simpler for students to find information online, teachers struggle to make students understand that all internet sources are not reliable.
The Problems With Students’ Research Skills
Research skills refer to the ability of individuals to gather and evaluate information on specific topics. During your college and university days, you’ll come across several assignments where you’ll have to dive into in-depth research on a particular topic. This activity enhances your ability to investigate, analyse critically, and form hypotheses on all kinds of issues like Biotechnology Assignment Help.
Nowadays, research skills are in-demand in every workforce, especially in data analysis and interpretation. Businesses need experts with advanced research skills to look into their competitors and scope out the market demand.
However, according to a survey, most teachers have highlighted that students cannot evaluate quality information, recognise which websites are relevant to the topics, and synthesise information from multiple sources to form a coherent answer.
The abundance of information on the internet is overwhelming. Therefore, students struggle to determine which websites are more dependable than others. In addition, there is plenty of biased and unconfirmed information floating on the internet. So, without the ability to vet reliable sources, it will be impossible to write your research paper or look for a job in data analysis and interpretation.
10 Easy Ways To Upgrade Your Research Skills
If your research skills are not up to par, you can leave your worries behind. Everyone starts from square one. A Google search is merely the tip of the iceberg. It provides you with a cursory glance at the topic. But there’s a lot that goes into professional research, and you can get a taste of it when you follow these 10 simple tips:
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Understand what research is
Sometimes, students unfamiliar with research work forget that there is no ONE answer to their research topic. If you already decide on the conclusion beforehand and conduct research afterwards, it beats the entire purpose of analysis. Your approach should be to find evidence that you can insert in your answers to prove you’ve conducted research. Instead, you need to understand the cyclical research work process and put in the due effort.
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Identify your research objective
Determining your objective is the first task you need to accomplish before beginning your research process. This is because it will decide which direction you’ll need to take to find the best information. For example, if you have to research what toys children prefer these days and the factors parents look into when buying toys, you’ll have to approach them from entirely different perspectives.
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Narrow down your topic
In the first few stages of your research, you don’t have to worry about using the internet to gain an overview. This is because the research process can be daunting. So, Wikipedia and Google Scholar are the best places to familiarise yourself with the topic. However, once you have acquired enough knowledge on the basic history and key points that you need to include, you should narrow it down and focus on more in-depth research from reliable sources.
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Learn to identify authentic sources
Identifying authentic sources of information is crucial in a world where every person has their website or blog and posts biased opinions not supported by factual evidence. Some things you should keep in mind when selecting your sources are:
- Who is the writer of the piece? Are they a reliable expert in the field?
- Do other researches present similar interpretations or data?
- Do you believe the article is unbiased?
Once you have answered these simple questions, you’ll be able to find suitable sources to consult.
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Corroborate information from multiple sources
Human beings are prone to errors. So, even though there is pretty little chance that the information you get from a reliable source will be false, it is best to be safe than sorry. Try to look for other authentic sources that can corroborate the information. This way, you can always double-check your data and avoid any factual errors in your work.
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Divide your research into manageable parts
Research is a long, arduous task. For this reason, many students prefer to hire professional assignment help services to make the job easier. Unfortunately, for those who don’t have such luxuries, it is best to divide the entire research process into several small, manageable parts. For example, you can break up the process into:
- Topic identification
- Preliminary investigation
- Material location
- Source evaluation
- Note-taking
- Writing the paper
- Source citations
- Proofreading
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Consult with a librarian
Even if you have a vast array of information readily available on the internet, you lack the experience to figure out which ones can be helpful for your work. That is why you should always consult librarians. These subject experts are professional at honing research papers, know which sources can benefit your research, and are treasure troves of knowledge. So, ensure that you don’t forget to consult the expert librarian before proceeding with your research.
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Stay neat and organised
The research process can be messy and very stressful if you’re not organised from the starting point. You’ll have to handle a lot of information at once. PDFs, research notes, bar graphs, pie charts, web pages and videos will suffocate you unless you organised them in neat folders. On your computer, you can bookmark important websites. Meanwhile, you can always highlight and use indexes to keep track of hard-copy notes.
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Avoid letting your bias show
Your research shouldn’t have any traces of bias in it. Therefore, you should always look for sources that reflect a neutral perspective. To uphold the ethics of research, you need to ensure that your research skills are not compromised because of personal bias.
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Wrap up the research properly
Once you have collected all your information, you need to hone your ability to compile the data and weave it into a new form. Many students struggle to write a paper seamlessly using the information they have spent days assembling. However, this is the final stage of your research paper writing. So, it is best to take some time to understand all the information you have gathered. Then, you can create an outline so you’ll have a better idea of where you need to include the information.
Summing it up,
Developing the proper research skills can help you hone your abilities to identify problems that can hinder performance. Colleges and universities provide you with the opportunity to polish these skills in your education so you won’t face any challenges working in a professional environment. Even though the task can be demanding, it is not impossible if you follow the tips highlighted in this article.