Research Help

What is Research?

1. Careful study that is done to find and report new knowledge about something

2. The activity of getting information about a subject

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research

The Research Process

Four steps• Know what you need• Know where to find it• Know how to evaluate it• Know how to organise and use it

The Research Process

Watch the video …

Information Literacy: Not All Information is Created Equally!

youtu.be/xwvJqvLw5dc

Know what you need

Understand your broad topic• Consult a standard work or reference

Understand your specific topic• Identify concepts, keywords, acronyms, singular

/plural forms, US / UK spelling, date range, demographics, geographic limit

Know where to find it

Sources• Books• Journals and Databases• Online videos• Websites

Know where to find it

Books & Textbooks• Books are available in either print or electronic format• Give you an introduction and overview • Provide a summary of a number of topics or • In depth coverage of a particular topic • Good source for information that isn't changing rapidly

Explore the TAFE catalogue

Explore SWSi eBooks

Adapted from: http://himmelfarb.gwu.edu/tutorials/excellent_tutorial/books.html

Know where to find it

Journals and Databases• Journal articles contain current information • Many journal articles are peer-reviewed. Experts in the

subject have reviewed the article for accuracy• Databases are indexes of full text journal articles• You will need your TAFE username and password to

access SWSi databases

Explore databases

Know where to find it

Online Videos• 1000’s of educational videos • Watch on your device• You will need your TAFE username and password to

access online videos

Explore online videos

Know where to find it

Websites• Use advanced search techniques to control a Google

search and improve results• Google Scholar can retrieve citations and some full text

academic and professional literature

Explore Google

Explore Google Scholar

Explore Advanced Google Search tips

Know how to evaluate resources

Watch the video …

Research online for college students

youtube.com/watch?v=UVjvMMgpx38

Know how to use information

It is important to acknowledge the source of information, quotes, ideas, images that you use in an assessment

• to protect your own academic integrity and avoid accusations of plagiarism

• to acknowledge the work of others• to enable your reader to check facts or conduct

independent reading• to demonstrate your efforts at research and use of reliable

sources

Know how to use information

Avoid plagiarismPlagiarism is considered a serious breach of conduct. When using the ideas of others:• Use direct quotes “ ….. “• Paraphrase by explaining the idea in your own words• Identify the source of information• Do not copy / paste• Use an online plagiarism checker

Know how to use information

Watch the video …

Why do we reference?

youtu.be/ADvsTi0B8HA

Know how to use information

In text citations and reference lists

Harvard and APA are common referencing formats for in text citations and reference lists.

Check with your teacher about which style you should use.

Know how to use information

In text citations • Appear in the body of your assignment and show where

someone else's words, thoughts or ideas have been included in your work.

• Are short and don’t give the reader the full details of the information source.

This is an example in APA style –

(Lorenzi, 2004)

Know how to use information

Reference listsA reference list is a list of every resource you have used in your assignment and includes the full publication details of each item.• Appears at the end of your assignment starting on a new page• Is arranged alphabetically by the author’s surname

This is an example in APA style –

Garnaut, R. (2011). The Garnaut review 2011: Australia in the global response to climate change. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

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