Why is research important?
Locating and using information and evidence correctly in your written assessments is an essential skill in higher education. Having a clear idea of what information you need is key to effective research for your assessment task, as this will determine where and how you search.
For some assessments, you may be instructed to use a particular type of information. For example, you will be asked to use scholarly or academic articles. In other cases, you may collect information through observations and interviews, as well as by reading social media, images, watching videos and using other kinds of sources.
After finding, interpreting, and assembling your information, you will share your findings with your lecturer or classmates in a video essay, presentation, blog, podcast, or some other form. The quality of your assessments will depend largely on your ability to find, evaluate, and use information you found in physical and online libraries, as well as the information you found on the internet.
What are the steps to research
Research is often a recursive process rather than a linear one; it involves a number of steps that you will have to repeat as you define your topic. Your question, topic or the direction of your project may change throughout the process many times and will require new sources of information to look for. The diagram below outlines the steps to help you approach research and shows at which stage you may need to change and refine your approach.
Source: Seneca Libraries
Explore The Research Process
For guided information to help you plan and undertake your research, visit the Research Process.