Conducting Research & Finding Sources

Why do we do this? Any piece of persuasive writing, whether it be an essay or a speech, is made more convincing and reliable when a person has done their research.

Research Research is the collection, analysis and interpretation of data to answer/explore a certain question or solve a problem

Where do I start?

Sources Journal articles: these are good sources, especially for up-to-date information. They are often used in research because they are usually brief and up-to-date. Try googling ‘scholarly articles’ or ‘academic journals’ to get a hold of these types of articles

Sources (cont.) Books:   remember that books tend to be less up-to- date, as it takes longer for a book to be published than for a journal article. They are still likely to be useful as they offer a good starting point from which to find more detailed and up-to-date sources of information. 

Sources (cont.) Government/corporate reports: Many government departments and corporations commission carry out research. Their published findings can provide a useful source of information, depending on the type of writing you’re doing.

Sources (cont.) Internet: the fastest-growing source of information is on the Internet. bear in mind that anyone can post information on the Internet so the quality may not be reliable. Ensure you record the website you access and the date you access it  

When looking at sources, ask yourself the following questions: Where did I find this information? Is this a reliable source? What are the author's credentials? Are the author's arguments supported by evidence? Is the author's perspective even-handed or biased? Is the other side of the argument considered or is some information ignored to prove the author's point? Is the author's work convincing?

A few things that work for me… • Learn/use effective search strategies • Keep a credible research journal • Take notes! Make sure you use quotation marks if you’re copying something directly and make a note of the source • Write a summary of what you read • Ask questions

Your turn Find three sources of information about gun control on the internet (either journal articles, policy/government docs or websites) Write a short summary of what the source is discussing (a few sentences) Note key arguments/ideas or pieces of evidence the source gives you (dot points are fine) Make sure you write a reference for the source (ask steph if you are unsure)