Tutorial Week 4 UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH EBP, Summer 2010

WHAT IS RESEARCH?

The simplest definition is research is finding an answer to a question. Here are some examples: Is global warming the result of human activity? What is the best way to educate children: in segregated classes or in mixed classes? Why is the tiger an endangered species?

WHAT IS RESEARCH? The simplest definition is research is finding an answer to a question. So, the most important thing about doing research is, what is your question? If you do not have a question, you cannot find an answer; you do not know what to look for; you cannot do research.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? Once you have your research question, how do you find the answer? The most important first step is to break your large research question down into smaller, specific questions. So, when you conduct research, do not research your whole topic. Your topic is too big! Rather, your job is to answer specific questions about your topic.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? Once you have your research question, how do you find the answer? The most important first step is to break your large research question down into smaller, specific questions. So, when you conduct research, do not research your whole topic. Your topic is too big! Rather, your job is to answer specific questions about your topic. You will find these questions on your IRP handout. When you have answered all of the questions, put your answers together in an academic essay format, document your sources (i.e., tell the reader where you found the answers) and YOU'RE DONE!

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 1: Get Focused: What Are Your Questions? Find a partner to work with, if possible, or work on your own. Identify the 5 or 6 questions on the IRP handout you will answer in your research.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 1: Get Focused: What Are Your Questions? Find a partner to work with. In turns, identify the 5 or 6 questions on the IRP handout you are supposed to answer in your research.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 1: Get Focused: What Are Your Questions? Focus on these questions only. Why are they important? If your resource or information does NOT answer any of these questions, DISCARD IT! DON’T READ IT! Make sure you (and your partner) are clear on these research questions.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 1: Get Focused: What Are Your Questions? 1.Using the references you have found so far, locate information in them which will answer one of the questions on your IRP handout. Use annotations or sticky notes (if it is borrowed material) to show where the information is. 2.Bring the references (with annotations or sticky notes) to the Tutorial to be checked. This is the end of Task 1

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized Take 5 or 6 separate pieces of paper or pages in a notebook -- one for each question. At the top of each piece of paper, write one of the questions. We will call these pages IRP Question Pages or (QP for short). Look at the example on the next slide.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized Water and Sanitation in Ethiopia Q 1. Background: Where in this country is lack of water and poor or no sanitation at its worst? (new page) Water and Sanitation in Ethiopia Q 2. What are the major reasons for lack of sustainable access to clean drinking water and sanitation? (new page) Water and Sanitation in Ethiopia Q 3. What efforts are being made to provide the necessary infrastructure and development programs for dealing with this issue? What is currently being done to prevent illnesses which arise from these unhealthy conditions? (new page) Water and Sanitation in Ethiopia Q 4. What are the obstacles to access clean water and sanitation in this country? (new page) Water and Sanitation in Ethiopia Q 5. Based on your research, predict whether sustainable access to clean water and adequate sanitation will be made available in the near future and if not, recommend what could be done to make this goal more realizable.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized Now, as you conduct your research over the next few weeks, your job is to answer each of these questions. How do you do this? Start with the first question you wrote at the top of a piece of paper or in a notebook. Search for sources that give you an answer to this question. Write your answer on this QP. In other words, take notes. Also, write down the titles of the resources you use. (You will need these for reference purposes.) The next side is an example.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized Water and Sanitation in Ethiopia Q 1. Background: Where in this country is lack of water and poor or no sanitation at its worst? Brown and McNaught (2002) 80% rural communities w/o clean water\ 95% urban slums Water and sanitation in Ethiopia (2010) nationally, only 24% has access to safe water only 13% per cent in rural areas etc… your notes – the answers you got to this question your source – where you found this answer

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized Water and Sanitation in Ethiopia Q 2. What are the major reasons for lack of sustainable access to clean drinking water and sanitation? 1. Government policy (Water Resource Development in Ethiopia: Issues of Sustainability and Participation (nd) from 2. Over-dependence on rain water (Hanjra, Ferede, & Gutta, 2009) 3. Industrial overuse (Industrial appropriation of renewable fresh water, Feb, Science Vol no. 5250, pp. 785 – 788) your notes – the answers you got to this question your source – where you found this answer

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized You will likely need to add more pages to some or all of these questions. The point, however, is to stay focused on one question and keep organized.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized When you have finished answering the first question, move on the the next question.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized When you have finished answering the first question, move on the the next question. If you find an article that has a lot of useful information -- that answers more than one of your questions -- here is what you should do: Take your first question -- your first QP. Scan the article to find answers to this specific question. Take notes on QP#1. When you are done, move on to question 2. Re-scan the article, but this time look only for the answer to the second question. Take notes on QP#2. Continue through each question. In other words, scan to find the answer to a specific question. Also begin NOW to plan how you will physically organize your information…

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 2: Get Organized (cont.) Writing a research paper will involve LOTS of information, so it is essential to organize your notes and reference materials. Some ways to do this are Using notecards. Good advice on this can be found at Using notebooks or binders: divide these into sections, one for each main section of your IRP You can also keep notes online with applications such as Springnote, at An example can be found at A useful pdf annotation tool is PDF Xchange Viewer download: This enables you to annotated pdfs online – perhaps more clearly than if you wrote by hand? Bring your answers to QPs 1 and 2 PLUS your notecards, binder or online notes to the tutorial for the TA to check.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 3: Get Background Information Go to the IRP Research webpage. Scroll down to find your topic and then follow the link to the background reading. Read and take notes on the appropriate QP. IRP Research webpage As you read, you will note that the on-line articles and webpages also have their own internal links. Follow some of these links to see if they lead you to even more useful information. Again, take notes on the appropriate QP.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 3: Get Background Information This is the end of Task 3

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 4: Using Search Engines to Find Resources

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 4: Using Search Engines to Find Resources You have already used the SFU library database. This should be your main source of resources for your IRP.SFU library database

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 4: Using Search Engines to Find Resources You have already used the SFU library database. This should be your main source of resources for your IRP.SFU library database However, there are other on-line search engines. 1.Google Scholar -- finds only academic articlesGoogle Scholar 2.Clusty -- organizes the findings in a number of very useful ways. Click HERE for a sample and explanation of how Clusty works.Clusty HERE 3.WikipediaWikipedia Using the key words you made during the Library Tutorials, search for articles and resources on the above search engines. Again, take notes on the appropriate QP.

WHAT IS RESEARCH? TASK 4: Using Search Engines to Find Resources This is the end of Task 4

WHAT IS RESEARCH? This is the end of the tutorial