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Source ISBN: 9780007507115
Ebook Edition © May 2014 ISBN 9780008101800
Version: 01-07-2014
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
Chapter 1 Getting started
understand the purpose of research
learn how your research will be marked
learn about the research process
interpret set essay questions
write an essay question of your own
Chapter 2 Accessing information
find information in the library
use databases
search effectively with key words
make the most of the library
make good use of the internet for research
Chapter 3 Choosing the right source material
choose academically credible materials
know who the experts are
recognize what makes a text academic
choose relevant materials
manage your materials
Chapter 4 Academic texts
recognize the key features of a textbook
learn how to use monographs and edited volumes
understand how journal articles and reports are organized
Chapter 5 Reading strategies
choose the right reading strategy for your purpose
read quickly for a general overview
read quickly for specific information
deal with unfamiliar vocabulary
read complex and difficult sentences
Chapter 6 Reading more efficiently
improve your concentration when reading
guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from context
improve your reading speed
Chapter 7 Reading critically
define critical thinking in your study context
distinguish fact from opinion
reflect critically on your own views
critically evaluate reading texts
Chapter 8 Making notes
use a variety of note-making styles
make concise notes
organize and store notes for easy retrieval
Chapter 9 Writing an outline
write outlines for different types of essay
devise an effective argument
structure introductions and conclusions
Chapter 10 Using sources
learn how to integrate source material into your essay
decide whether to quote, paraphrase or summarize
learn how to quote correctly
learn how to paraphrase and summarize
Chapter 11 Referencing
recognize different referencing systems
reference using an author-date system
reference with footnotes
know when a reference is and is not needed
Chapter 12 Finding your voice
use sources correctly
use sources effectively
express your opinion in your essay
Chapter 13 Writing up
get started with your first draft
stay on topic
use assessment criteria to redraft
prepare the final draft
Reference list
Appendices Appendix 1 – Critical reading checklist
Appendix 2 – Instruction words
Appendix 3 – Prefixes, suffixes and roots
Glossary
Answer key
About the Author
Acknowledgements
About the Publisher
Introduction
Collins Academic Skills Series: Research will give you the skills you need for to select, read and use academic source material effectively.
Designed to be used on a self-study basis to support English for Academic Purposes or study skills courses, it is intended for students on pre-sessional or Foundation courses as well as for first year undergraduate students. It will also be useful for more experienced students who want to improve their library-based research skills.
The book has thirteen chapters covering the key stages of the research process from start to finish. You will learn how to:
frame a research question
find library and online resources
choose appropriate source materials
read efficiently and critically
cite and reference correctly
plan and write your essay
At the back of the book there is:
a list of the prefixes, suffixes and root words common in academic English, and a checklist to help you read critically
a glossary of key terms
a comprehensive answer key
Chapter structure
Each chapter includes:
Aims – These set out the skills covered in the chapter.
A self-evaluation quiz – By doing this you are able identify what you already know on the subject of the chapter and what you need to learn.
Information on academic expectations – These sections will help you understand university practices and expectations so you understand what is required.
Guidelines on academic skills – These help you develop the skills to succeed at university.
Practical exercises – These help you to develop the skills to succeed at university. You can check your answers and consult model essays at the back of the book.
Tips – Key points are highlighted for easy reference and provide useful revision summaries for the busy student.
Glossary – Difficult words are glossed in boxes next to where the text appears in the chapter. There is also a comprehensive glossary at the back of the book.
Remember sections – This is a summary of key points for revision and easy reference.
Authentic academic reading texts
The book uses authentic examples of academic reading texts and essays in different academic subjects to help you apply what you learn to your own essay, whatever your subject.
Glossary boxes 
Where we feel that a word or phrase is difficult to understand, we have glossed this word/phrase. All definitions provided in the glossary boxes have been taken from the COBUILD Advanced Dictionary. At the end of the book there is a full alphabetical list of the most difficult words from the book for your reference.
Using Research
You can either work through the chapters from Chapter 1 to Chapter 13 or you can choose the chapters and topics that are most useful to you. The Contents page will help in your selection.
Study tips
Each chapter will take about five hours. Take regular breaks and do not try to study for too long. Thirty to sixty minutes is a sensible study period.
Regular study is better than occasional intensive study.
Read the chapter through first to get an overview without doing any exercises. This will help you see what you want to focus on.
Try the exercises before checking the Answer key. Be an active learner.
After doing the exercises in the book, try them again using your own research topic and reading materials. If possible, ask a more experienced researcher to give you feedback on your work.
All university departments are different. Use the information in the book as a guide to investigating your own university department.
Write questions you can ask to find out how your department expects you to do research.
There is no one correct way of doing research. Use your experience of doing the exercises to learn what works best for you. Adapt the suggestions in this book to suit your learning style and context.
Learning to do research is an on-going process, which means you need to practise the same skills many times. Revise regularly.
Other titles
Also available in the Collins Academic Skills Series: Writing, Lectures, Numbers, Presenting, and Group Work.
1 
Getting started
Aims
understand the purpose of research
learn how your research will be marked
learn about the research process
interpret set essay questions
write an essay question of your own
Quiz
Self-evaluation
Read the statements, then circle the word which is true for you.
| 1 I understand why I need to do research as part of my course. | agree | disagree | not sure |
| 2 I understand how my research will be marked. | agree | disagree | not sure |
| 3 I know how to plan a research project. | agree | disagree | not sure |
| 4 I can easily understand set essay questions. | agree | disagree | not sure |
| 5 I know how to write a good essay question. | agree | disagree | not sure |
What is research?
In simple terms, when you do research, you are looking for information in order to answer a question. In academic settings, research can take many different forms depending on the subject discipline and the kind of question you want to answer. If you are studying a scientific subject, your research may take the form of an experiment to answer a question which begins with the phrase: ‘What will happen if … ?’. If you are studying a social science, your research may take the form of a survey of a group of people’s thoughts, feelings or experiences. In any case, no matter what your subject discipline, at some point you will have to do some research which involves investigating what other scholars have said about the topic you are interested in. In other words, you will have to do some library based research.
Glossary
subject discipline In an academic setting, a subject discipline is a particular topic or specific area of study.
Why do you have to do library based research?
When you do library based research, you usually have to work on your own. This gives you the opportunity to become a more independent learner and to show that you can think for yourself. These are qualities that are highly valued in academic settings within the English speaking world.
However, working independently does not mean that your research is not connected to the work of other people. One of the main purposes of universities is to produce knowledge, that is, to create, evaluate and disseminate new information and ideas. Producing knowledge usually involves many scholars working in different times and places. When you do research as part of your course, you are learning skills which will allow you to participate in that wider effort. You have the opportunity to develop the ability to:
Glossary
evaluate If you evaluate something or someone, you consider them in order to make a judgement about them, for example about how good or bad they are.
disseminate To disseminate information or knowledge means to distribute it so that it reaches many people or organizations.
Create a research question and an argument to answer it.
Evaluate the research that has been done by others.
Disseminate your research by writing it up and submitting it for a mark, and, in some cases, by sharing what you have learned with other students on your course.
How do you know if your research is good?
In some parts of the world, students are judged according to how well they retain information given to them. In the English speaking world, when your essay paper is being marked, the marker will normally use other criteria for judging how well you have demonstrated the skills involved.
These are the questions the marker may ask themselves:
1Has the student understood the question?
2How well does the student know what other scholars have written about the topic?
3How skilfully has the student evaluated the work of other scholars?
4To what extent has the student synthesized the information and ideas available to produce a convincing argument?
5How clearly has that argument been conveyed?
6Has the student learned what they were supposed to learn from the course?
Glossary
synthesize If you synthesize different ideas, you combine these ideas.
Some of these criteria may be more important than others, depending on the task you have been set. However, in most cases, students who are good at 3 and 4 tend to receive higher marks. That is because they demonstrate good critical thinking skills.
Generally speaking critical thinking involves viewing issues from multiple perspectives and weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of arguments. When you do this you demonstrate that you can make fair judgements and take an independent stance.
For more information on critical thinking skills, see Chapter 7.
Tips
Find out what criteria will be used to mark your paper.
Make sure you know what you need to do to get a higher mark.
As you do your research, check that what you are doing meets the criteria.
The research process
Doing research is a complex process, so it can be helpful to divide it into tasks. How you break down the process depends on your assignment, your preferred ways of working, and your strengths and weaknesses as a researcher.
Remember, in practice, doing research can be a ‘messy’ process. You may do some tasks, such as making an outline plan, more than once. Or, you may do some tasks at the same time, for example, you will probably continue reading while writing your first draft. However, in general, if you are new to research, you should probably aim to spend about 50% of the time available preparing and gathering information, and 50% writing up. As you gain experience, you can adjust the length of time you spend on each stage. However, students who spend more time preparing tend to score higher marks.
Exercise 1
Imagine you have 30 days to write a 3,000 word essay on a topic related to your course. The tasks you might do are listed in the table below. Tick the tasks that you think are important. For each task you have ticked, write approximately how much time you think it would be reasonable to spend on that task.
| Stage | Tasks | ✓ | Time |
| 1 Preparation | Think about the research topic and the instructions given. | ||
| Find out what information is available – do some background reading. | |||
| Devise a rough outline plan. | |||
| 2 Gathering information | Gather books and articles from the library or online. | ||
| Read and take notes. | |||
| 3 Writing up | Write a more detailed plan. | ||
| Write a first draft. | |||
| Revise your first draft. | |||
| Write a second draft. | |||
| Proofread your second draft and make corrections. |
When your essay has been marked and returned, set aside time to carefully consider the feedback given. This will give you useful information about how to approach your next essay. If you do not understand the feedback given, it is important to seek clarification and advice. Although lecturers cannot always provide one-to-one meetings, your university is likely to have study advisors who can help.
Tips
Think carefully about your essay question and why it is worth asking. This will help you choose a worthwhile focus for your paper.
Do some initial background reading. If you discover that there is not enough information to support your chosen essay focus, you can choose another essay title.
Write a rough outline plan before you start reading and taking notes. This will help you read efficiently and with a clear purpose.
