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Study & Research Skills

A guide to smart study and research skills

Research Tips

1. Re-write all the information you find in your own words to avoid plagiarism.

2. Copy and paste the URL of each website that you use to help create your bibliography.

3. If you are not getting many results, use less keywords or use different words that have the same meaning.

Steps in the process of DEFINING:

What is my purpose?
Why do I need to find this out?
What are the key words and ideas of the task?
What do I need to do?

Learn more about Defining the Task... (from the State Library of Victoria)

Steps in the process of LOCATING:

What do I already know?
What do I still need to find out?
What sources and equipment can I use?

Learn more about Locating Information... (from the State Library of Victoria)

Steps in the process of SELECTING:

What information can I leave out?
How relevant in the information I have found?
How credible is the information I have found?
How will I record the information I need?

Learn more about Selecting Resources... (from the State Library of Victoria)

Steps in the process of ORGANISING:

Have I enough information for my purpose?
Do I need to use all this information?
How can I best combine information from different sources?

Learn more about Organising Notes... (from the State Library of Victoria)

Steps in the process of PRESENTING:

What will I do with this information?
With whom will I share this information?

Learn more about Presenting Ideas... (from the State Library of Victoria)

Steps in the process of EVALUATING:

Did I fulfill my purpose?
How did I go with each step of the research process?
How did I go presenting the information?
Where do I go from here?

Learn more about Evaluating Your Work... (from the State Library of Victoria)