What do you do if you're struggling to master research skills?

1 Assess your needs

Before you start any research project, you need to know what you're looking for and why. What is your research question or goal? What kind of information do you need to answer it? How will you use the information once you find it? These questions will help you define your scope, criteria, and purpose for your research. They will also help you avoid getting overwhelmed or distracted by irrelevant or unreliable sources.

2 Choose your sources

Depending on your research question and needs, you will have to select the most appropriate sources for your project. There are many types of sources, such as books, journals, websites, reports, podcasts, videos, and more. Each source has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the topic, quality, credibility, currency, and relevance. You should use a variety of sources to get a balanced and comprehensive perspective on your topic. You should also evaluate each source critically, checking for accuracy, authority, bias, and evidence.

3 Search strategically

Once you have chosen your sources, you need to search for the information you need. This can be challenging, especially if you're using online databases or search engines that return thousands of results. To make your search more efficient and effective, you should use some strategies, such as keywords, phrases, operators, filters, and advanced options. These will help you narrow down your results and find the most relevant and useful information. You should also keep track of your search terms and results, so you can refine or revise them as needed.

4 Organize and analyze

After you have found the information you need, you need to organize and analyze it. This means sorting, categorizing, summarizing, synthesizing, and interpreting the information. You should look for patterns, connections, gaps, and contradictions in the information. You should also compare and contrast different sources and perspectives. You should use tools and methods that help you organize and analyze the information, such as notes, outlines, tables, charts, graphs, mind maps, and software.

5 Communicate and cite

The final step in any research project is to communicate and cite your findings. This means presenting your information in a clear, coherent, and convincing way. You should use the format and style that suit your purpose and audience. You should also use the appropriate language, tone, and voice for your project. You should also cite your sources properly, following the rules and conventions of the citation style you're using. This will help you avoid plagiarism and give credit to the original authors.