1. Study Skills
Carrying out
Effective Research
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2. Background
Effective research WILL help with
time management, good quality
essays and coursework.
For example, A level & BTEC
courses, coursework can account
for a large part of your final mark.
Maximum marks could take you
through the two grade boundaries.
Minimum marks could therefore
drop you from an A to C.
Improve your writing skills.
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3. Aims
Maximum
marks for
least time
and work.
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4. Keys to Success
Successful students ..
check that the information they require
is easily available.
Remember there are no marks for time
spent searching for information. High
quality information needs to be
 Accurate
 Up to date
 Aware of bias
Have a range of effective search
strategies.
Effectively use a variety of resources.
Cited sources and have an accurate
and complete bibliography.
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5. Causes of failure and
under achievement
Plagiarism
Poor time management
 Too much time spent finding
information
 Equal time needs to be given to
using the information
Insufficient sources of information.
Inability to evaluate the quality of
the information.
Weaker candidates tend to over
use the internet.
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6. Keywords
Help you with search terms,
including synonyms
Help you find similar articles
Give you an immediate sense
of the main thrust of the
article
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Task
Does increased physical activity
reduce obesity in teenagers?

7. Keywords and
synonyms in action ..
Does increased physical activity
reduce obesity in teenagers?
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 Weight management interventions
targeting young women
 School-based physical activity programs
for promoting physical activity and
fitness in children and adolescents aged
6 to 18
 Emerging adulthood: a critical age for
preventing excess weight gain?
 Interventions for treating overweight
and obesity in adolescents

8. Task
Look at the resources on the tables
and identify
The benefits and advantages of
each resource?
Why might this resource be
useful?
Which type of resource would be
the most suitable for your courses?
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9. Books – the starting
point?
Authors, editors and referees
recognised as experts in their field.
Have an unbiased view point.
Examiners will be familiar with
standard works.
This underpinning work will clarify
your understanding and enable
you to evaluate information you
find on the internet more
effectively.
Ensure that you include the
standard works in your
bibliography.
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10. Using books
Recap basics – dewey number & …
Eclipse.NET
Kindles & e-lending platform
Local libraries
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11. Using the internet
It is up-to-date.
There is a wealth of information
presented in a variety of ways.
You are the editor!
 This means you have to decide
whether the author / organisation
responsible for the information is
credible.
 You need to look for bias.
 You need to check that the
information is up to date and
accurate.
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12. Evaluating websites
 Wikipedia, Real Madrid CF
 Look at the ..
URL Dates
Author Contact details
Statements of purpose
Style Content
 does it seem credible?
 Does it fit with what you know?
 Can you verify it from print sources or
other web sites?
 Use the advanced search option ..
Search using
 language option
 format option
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13. Evaluating websites
When you have a chance, have a look at
this:
http://
www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_o
nline_filter_bubbles.html
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14. Journals
There are different types of
journals with different
audiences & purposes.
We subscribe to several both
print and on-line.
Magazines.
On-line journals.
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15. Free on-line journals
Google Scholar
PubMed
European version
American platform
Directory of Open Access Journals
www.doaj.org
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16. The role of the
bibliography
 To show the sources of all ideas
which are not uniquely your own
or common knowledge
 All sources cited must be included
in a bibliography
 All sources consulted but not cited
must also be included in a
bibliography
 Avoid padding the bibliography
with sources you have not read
 Alphabetical order by author for
humanities
 Sciences and Humanities have
slightly different orders.
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17. Books in a
bibliography
How:
Second name, first name, year of publication, title
of book (underlined, in bold or italics), place of
publication, publisher
Example:
BRIDE, M., 1996. Teach Yourself
HTML Publishing on the World Wide
Web. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
HARRAR, H.J., 1975. Photographs,
pictures and prints. In: GROVE, P.S.
(ed), Non-print media in academic libraries.
Chicago: American Library
Association. pp. 173-192.
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18. Internet websites in a
bibliography
 NICHOLAS D, 1998. Hacking the
net. Ariadne (Web version) Issue
16, July.
http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue16/c
over [Viewed 22-9-98].
 HM TREASURY, 1997. EMU
Practical information for business.
http://www.hm-
treasury.gov.uk/pub/html/docs/emu
bus/main.html [Viewed 22-9-98].
 HMSO, 1998. Data Protection Act.
C29.
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts1998/1
9980029.htm [Viewed 22-9-98].
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19. Task
To help when you need to find
information ..
 Find the dewey number for
your subject area.
 Find these books in the library.
 Find a useful website for ones
of your subjects.
 Have a look at Eclipse.NET
and Google Scholar.
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20. Summary
Use a variety of resources for
your information.
Record ALL the resources
you use and include them in
your bibliography.
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