Guide to doing a research assignment

Managing a timeline | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6

If you follow the six steps of the information process, you should find it easier to collect, organise and present your information.

Step 1: Defining choose a topic and form of presentation define the possible audience write guiding questions	Step 2: Locating locate possible resources
Step 3: Selecting focus on guiding questions and keywords skim read scan take notes	Step 4: Organising decide what points are most important discard irrelevant information arrange information in a logical order
Step 5: Presenting present information clearly and concisely present information in an appropriate layout	Step 6: Evaluation evaluate how you went in the different steps of your research assignment evaluate whether you have achieved what you hoped to achieve.

These 6 steps will be explained in greater detail over the following pages.

You need to think about and start work on your research assignment straight away. Discuss with your teacher how long you have to work on your assignment. Once you know that you’ll be able to work out your timeline.

Managing a timeline

It is a good idea to plan out your work over the time that you have available. That way you won’t leave everything to the last minute. This is called managing a timeline.

Your timeline could look something like this.

Due date: -----------------------------

How many weeks do I have? -----

Term 3

H

Term 4

5

6

7

8

9

10

O

1

2

3

4

5

6

Defining

L

S

Locating

I

U

Selecting

D

B

Organising

A

M

Presenting

Y

I

Evaluating

S

T

Step 1: Defining

Choose your topic and form of presentation

Do some brainstorming about the topic and use the key words that you come up with to write some guiding questions. They should help you to define your topic even further.

Guiding questions usually start with Why? When? Who? How? Where? What?

Use the Research Notes Sheet from the research task that you select to write down your questions.

Brainstorm also

• what you already know about the topic
• what you think you need to find out

Think about the type of information you would expect to find in the form of presentation you have chosen.

What your assignment will include and how you will present the facts that you discover during the course of your research will depend on your intended audience and your purpose in writing.

Step 2: Locating information

You should be able to locate all of the information you require for your research topic from the course content pages of the WebCT unit and from the web links provided.

Step 3: Selecting

Not all the information that you collect will be useful to your topic. Use the questions that you wrote in step 1 to guide you in selecting relevant information.

When you start your reading you might think of some more specific questions that you can ask.

To be able to select effectively you need to be able to scan the information you have collected, skim through appropriate sections and take notes that are relevant to your topic. The notes on scanning, skimming and note taking that are printed on the next couple of pages may help you in the selection process.

Remember to:

• keep in mind your audience and what you think they will be interested in learning about
• recordthe information you need in note form, using your guiding questions as main headings
• keep a bibliography.

Scanning

Scanning involves looking for key words or phrases that will let you know if the resource is useful to you. It is like quickly flicking through a magazine in a store while you decide if you want to buy it.

Here is how to scan an online text:

• Quickly scroll through the body of the text to look for key words and phrases
• Look at headings, sub-headings, diagrams, maps, photographs and illustrations
• Click on links within the text to see if they are also useful
• Bookmark any sites that you think you will be able to use or print off the information that you have located

Skimming

When you have scanned the whole item and found that it contains information that looks appropriate for your topic, you need to skim read the sections containing that information.

Opening and end sentences/paragraphs often summarise the content of a section. Skim read the rest by quickly moving your eyes over the text, keeping in mind your topic and your guiding question.

If your information is in print form, it may help to run your finger down the middle of the page.

If you find the information useful:

• highlight main points
• or
• jot down notes.

Note taking

Remember to use your Research Notes Sheet for this.

When note taking:

• write phrases rather than complete sentences using your own words. Bullet points might help you to do this
• write your information under your topic headings and sub-headings
• concentrate on the important details
• do not copy out large chunks of information
• underline key words
• keep a record of the sources you used to put in a bibliography.

The following conventions are used when writing a bibliography:

Print source

• Name of author (surname/comma/initial)
• Title (underlined)
• Place of publication/comma/name of publisher/comma/date of publication

For example

Patole, V. Martinique , Guadeloupe , Antilles Paris , Voyageurs du monde, 1993

Internet source

• URL (world wide web address)
• Title of web page
• Name of author (if identified)
• Date at which you accessed the site

For example

http://www.runweb.com/uk_main.asp Let’s discover Réunion Island RUNweb October 2001

Step 4: Organising

When you organise your information to write your first draft, make sure that you:

• select the points that are most important to use in your assignment
• discard irrelevant information
• plan your assignment
• combine information from a number of sources into sentences and paragraphs
• arrange your information in a logical way and in order of importance, using headings and sub-headings if they are useful to you
• check that your main points are clear, interesting and easy to follow
• complete a bibliography.

Before you are ready to write your final draft you will need to edit and proofread your first draft.

If you are working with a partner you may need to exchange drafts to ensure that your topic is fully covered and you do not duplicate information.

Editing

To edit effectively it is recommended that you:

• read your work aloud. How does it sound?
• think of your audience. What type of language is most appropriate?
• work on clumsy sentences to make them flow better. Writing shorter sentences might help
• check for sense
• get someone you trust to read your work and give you constructive feedback.

That person may be able to comment on:

• what they like about your work
• whether there is sufficient detail
• whether the purpose of your writing is clear
• whether there are any sections that do not fully make sense

Proofreading your final draft

Correct any mistakes in

• spelling
• grammar
• punctuation

Use a different coloured pen or pencil to mark in the changes.

Step 5: Presenting

Will your assignment contain:

• maps/photographs?
• factual information that can be verified?
• an explanation of terms used?

Consider the following when you do a written presentation.

Layout

Plan your layout in rough before you do your final draft. Think about how you will position your text, headings and illustrations so that the pages are well balanced, uncluttered and easy to follow.

Headings

Think about the position, style and size of your headings. Try and maximise their eye-catching effects but remember that too many differing styles may be bewildering.

Presenting your facts

• Underline or bold key words or phrases.
• Ruling off your work can place emphasis on different sections.
• Magazine style columns might work in sections of your assignment. Think of the effect you want to achieve.
• If you are producing your work on a computer, it can be very effective to change the font type and font size to emphasise different sections.

Maps/illustrations

• Make sure that they are relevant to the topic.
• Give maps a title and/or key and give illustrations a caption.
• Position illustrations carefully for page balance. Ideally they should be close to the text that they are supporting.
• Consider using borders to enhance your illustrations.

Borders can be used to great effect

• to decorate the edges of a page
• around individual pictures
• around a set of facts.

Step 6: Evaluation

Complete the online evaluation form and give it to your teacher with your assignment.