MMSSOFT116: Research Skills

Research Skills

In this age of information overload, it can be hard to know where to find good information that you can trust. If you’re doing research for an important project, report, or proposal, how do you find information that you can count on?

 

This one-day workshop will teach you how to research any topic using a number of different tools. We will start with basic techniques, such as reading, memory recall, note-taking, and planning. We will also talk about creating different kinds of outlines for different stages of your project, and how to move from the outline to actual writing, editing, and polishing. Most importantly, we will talk about how to use all kinds of sources, including a library’s Dewey Decimal System, journals, and the Internet.

 

After you complete this course, you’ll be ready to find reliable information on any topic, and turn that information into a compelling, accurate piece of writing.

 

This workshop will help you teach participants how to:

• Identify the benefits to proper research and documentation
• Read for maximum information retention and recall
• Take effective notes
• Plan a research strategy
• Identify and use various types of research sources
• Create preliminary and final outlines
• Use style guides and be able to identify the most common styles
• Document and attribute their work to ensure they don’t plagiarize

 

Course Overview

You will spend the first part of the day getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.

 

Why Are Research Skills Important?

In this day and age, it may seem silly to talk about research skills. However, there are some real benefits to honing your ability to find good, reliable information.

 

Basic Skills

This session will explore three fundamental skills needed to perform good research: reading, note-taking, and memory recall.

 

Planning Your Research Strategy

Now that you have some basic skills, it’s time to start putting it into action. This session will explore a research model and how to get ready to hit the books.

 

Where to Look and What to Look For

When you’re researching, think beyond search engines and libraries. This session will cover the differences between primary and secondary sources and how to analyze a source’s credibility.

 

Finding Information the Old-Fashioned Way

Next, participants will learn how to use reference sources, journals, trade publications, and their network as research sources.

 

Researching with the Internet

At first glance, the Internet seems like a wonderful research tool. However, not all websites are credible. This session will give participants some tools for assessing the credibility of any site. We will also provide a list of some sites that are currently authentic and reliable. Social publication sites like Wikipedia will also be covered.

 

Getting Ready to Write

This session will give participants a way to organize all their information before they write. Outlines will also be covered.

 

Putting Pen to Paper

The final session of this workshop will cover writing basics, revision tips, source documentation, proper attribution, plagiarism, documentation styles, and bibliographies.

 

Workshop Wrap-Up

At the end of the day, students will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out an action plan.