Conducting academic research oct 2009

Conducting Academic Research

Jayne Hall October 2009



RationaleUnderstanding the importance of

effective research Why write a Bibliography?How to conduct effective researchHow to organise the research

processHow to optimise time spent readingHow to Construct a Bibliography



Undertaking any kind of academic research will at some point involve the use of relevant literature.

The analysis and summary of the relevant literature should be used to support your argument or theory.

Your Argument will probably require the use of literature from a diverse range of sources.



• The process begins with you being given a brief

• You will then need to narrow down the area within that brief that you intend to discuss

• You now need to identify the relevant literature to that topic



The most obvious places to begin are the Internet and the University Library.

The Library is where you will find reliable literature and sources. Later you may wish to access your local library.

The internet will have reliable and unreliable material



Reliable Sources

Unreliable Sources



• Internet Research - Apply the same methods

• Vast array of information• Delicious



Shelf Mark Search• Identify reference numbers of

books/journals from the reading list• Locate these books in the library and

look around at others in the same area

• Look at the book titles and jacket summary

• Search inside the books



Online Library Catalogue - Keyword Search

Think of two or three words or

phrases that may appear in a book relevant to your topic and enter them into the search box



The number of results of this type of search will vary, you can widen or narrow these results by adding or removing key words



Once you have the books that may be relevant to your topic

• Look at the contents page• Look at the index for ranges of

relevant pages



Once you have applied these methods you

will discard the books that seem to have little

relevance and be left with books that you

need to read.



Other sources of research and information• Journals - paper/electronic• Newspaper Articles - paper/electronic• Exhibition Catalogues• Music/Audio• Film/Television• Direct conversations - telephone, face

to face, e-mail• Internet, Podcasts etc• Lectures



UWN uses the Harvard System of Referencing. The Library has

produced a complete guide which details exactly how to reference all of these sources. This is available in hard copy direct from the library or it can be downloaded from their

website.



• Do not read ad infinitum• Stay Focused• Stick to your topic• Keep referring to your essay

title/question• Irrelevant content in essays affects

grades• Always make notes



It is possible that in light of the reading you have done your

question/argument or title needs to be adjusted, it is fine to change the ‘spin’ or approach or ‘tweak’ your

title, but think very carefully before completely changing your question, you may find yourself having to start

again from scratch.



Why Make Notes?• Focus your attention• Making Sense of material• Symbol of Progress• Essential part of constructing

essay• Pulls all the ideas and facts

together



Bibliography - BookAuthor/EditorYear of PublicationTitleEdition (if not the first)Place of PublicationName of Publisher



Example

ZUKAV, G. 1979. The Dancing Wu Li Masters – An Overview of the

New Physics. Rider & Company/Hutchinson & Co.

(Publishers) Ltd: London.



We will discuss how the referencing should be included within the body

of the text in a later session



It is necessary to begin your bibliography when you begin reading not when you have

finished writing.



In order to read effectively ensure that you

• Have a good study environment• Make a time commitment• Review previous reading sessions• Create questions and write them down• Read to answer questions• Think about what you are reading• Make notes



Different Reading Strategies

• Skimming• Scanning• Close/Critical/Active



Skimming - Fast Reading to ‘get the gist’

• Read titles and subtitles• Look at Diagrams, illustrations and

charts• Read first and last sentence of paragraph• Pick out key words



Scanning - Specific Information gathering

by topic or phrase• Decide and write down the questions

you want answered• Focus on the task of finding

information• Don’t read every word, scan the page

until you find what you are looking for• Use headlines and titles to help



Close Reading - careful reading (more than once if necessary) and understanding of elements you have decided are interesting and relevant to your subject matter, and will be included in your argument.



What if I don’t understand?



Elaborately cautious language

Everything said in academic texts tends to be cushioned in very cautious language



This is a necessary part of Academic Writing. The writers are trying to be as exact as they can in their analysis, so they are careful to say only what they think can be justified.



“In everyday life we cheerfully use language as a blunt instrument for cudgelling our way through the cut and thrust of events around us.”

Andrew Northedge,1990.

The Good Study Guide



In academic writing language is meant to be used more like a scalpel, cutting precisely between closely related arguments so that they can be prised apart and analysed in detail. An academic writer aims to say exactly and only what they mean, even if it takes a lot of extra words.

Andrew Northedge,1990.

The Good Study Guide



Words I don’t understand?

Glossary



• Rationale - statement of the reasoning that underlies a course of action

• Bibliography - list of materials consulted, appearing at the end of a text

• Unreliable - not able to be trusted• ‘Ad Infinitum’ - for so long as to seem

endless• Analysis - separate, examine

individual parts



Study Advice Service

[email protected]

First Floor of Library, Caerleon CampusTel: 01633 432109

Harvard Referencing Guidehttp://www3.newport.ac.uk/docstore/b/aevans03/Bibliographies.pdf



fini

Conducting Academic ResearchWhen reading the article think about: • What are your feelings as you read the article?• Are you experiencing any difficulties or

problems as you read?• Are there parts of the text you find unclear?• Is the article useful or interesting?• How long has it taken?• Where and at what time of day are you

reading?



Once you have read it:• Can you sum up what the article was about

in one sentence?• What can you remember? What two or

three points stuck in your mind as worth noting?

• Do you think you will find it easy to remember what was in the article in a few days time?

• Did you mark words as you read (highlighter or underlining)?

• Did you make any notes? Jayne Hall October 2009

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Conducting academic research oct 2009

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