Research

There any many different ways to research into stuff.

How to research:

Research

What is research?

In short research is an investigation into study of materials, and sources to establish new facts and conclusions.

How do you research?

Before you start researching you need to define what the problem is, why do you need this information?

Whilst researching you need to think, how much time do I have to do this?

You should then pick a topic, you should aim end up with a topic that isn't to hard to be sure that there is enough information on it.

Think to yourself what do you already know about the topic. If anything that might help you define the main ideas and key words that will help?

You then need to find out what else you need to find out? Preferably you need to find out as much as possible from reliable sources.

The next stage is to locate the information? Where are you going to get it from think about all the sources out there such as

Books
Internet
Encyclopedias
Videos
Magazines
Other people or organizations

The next stage is to decide which resource will be best for you, however there is nothing saying you can't mix  it up.

Be sure to check that the material is relevant, and who has written it, what audience is it aimed at?

You MUST note down whatever you copy, this is important for your bibliography.

You then need to organize all of you information and see if you have enough to complete the task in hand.

When presenting the information  what is the most logical and organised way, have you met all the tasks needs? Have you used your opinions and acknowledged ideas from others?

Once you have finished the task, think about what you have learnt, what would you improve next time.

- http://www.slideshare.net/mosmancouncil/how-to-research-a-topic

Critical Thinking

What is Critical Thinking?

• Critical Thinking is the importance of asking and answering the appropriate questions
• In Higher Education the term critical is to get the truth through reasoned question and answer.
• We must always ask question.
• Critically we do not accept what we hear and see at face value

Model To Generate Critical Thinking

Following this model is fairly simple, first off you have the subject to generate critical thinking you must ask a series of questions these being:

• What
• This identifies the issue.
• What is this about?
• What is the context/ situation?
• What is the main point/ problem/ topic to be explored?
• Where
• Where does this take place.
• Who
• Who does this effect.
• Who is this by?
• Who is involved?
• Who is affected?
• Who might be interested?
• When
• When does this occur.

All of these provide your description, providing with introductory and background information to contextualize problem/ topic.

• How
• Allows you to look at the processes of work.
• How did this occur?
• How does it work?
• How does the one factor affect another?
• How do the parts fit into the whole?
• Why
• Explains in-depth, addresses causes using theory.
• Why did this occur?
• Why was that done?
• Why this argument/ theory/ suggestion/ solution?
• Why not something else?
• What If?
• What if this were wrong?
• What are the alternatives?
• What if there were a problem?
• what if this or that factor were added or removed?

Once you have asked all of these question you should be able to perform your analysis.

• So what?
• What does this mean?
• Why is this significant?
• Is this convincing? Why/Why not?
• What are the implications?
• Is it successful?
• How does it meet the criteria
• What Next?
• Is it transferable?
• How and where else can it be applied?
• What can be learnt from it?
• What needs doing now?

After you have applied these you should be able to apply these to your conclusion.

If you apply these sequentially you will be able to form the basis of study in Higher Education.

• Description
• To define clearly what we are talking about
• what exactly is involved
• Where it takes place
• Under what circumstances or conditions
• Analysis
• The function of effective analysis is to Examine and EXPLAIN how the many parts fit into the whole
• How do the many facets of your research combine with reference to the original question or problem
• Evaluation
• Evaluation isn't easy to define, it is sometimes defined as: 
• To judge the success or failure of something
• to give reason or value to the outcome of the research
• the evaluation is found at the end of a project as in the project report

All of the above supplies you with the basis of critical thiking allowing you to write reports out with a proper description an indepth analysis and good evaluation. Not to mention after all of this you will have a fabulous abstract.