How do you use research evidence from different sources?

1 Find relevant sources

The first step to using research evidence is to find sources that are relevant to your topic, question, or goal. Depending on your purpose and context, you may need to search for academic articles, reports, books, websites, podcasts, videos, or other types of sources. You can use online databases, search engines, libraries, or recommendations from experts to locate potential sources. However, not all sources are equally reliable, valid, or current. Therefore, you need to apply some criteria to filter and select the most appropriate sources for your needs.

2 Evaluate the quality of sources

To use research evidence, you must evaluate the quality of the sources you have found. Consider the credibility, accuracy, relevance, and timeliness of the information, as well as any potential bias, conflicts of interest, or limitations of the authors or publishers. To help guide your evaluation, you can ask questions such as who is the author or publisher of the source and what are their qualifications? You should also consider what is the purpose and scope of the source and how is the information presented and supported? Additionally, think about when was the source published or updated and how does it relate to your topic, question, or goal? Answering these questions will help you assess the quality of your sources.

3 Synthesize the information from sources

The third step to using research evidence is to synthesize the information from the sources you have evaluated. Synthesizing involves combining, comparing, contrasting, and organizing the information from different sources in order to create a meaningful and comprehensive understanding of the topic. To do this, you can identify the main points, arguments, or findings of each source and observe how they relate to each other. Additionally, look for similarities, differences, gaps or contradictions among the sources and explain why they exist. You can also draw connections, patterns, or themes from the sources and relate them to your topic, question, or goal. Finally, organize the information into categories, frameworks, or models that help structure your analysis.

4 Apply the evidence to your context

The final step to using research evidence is to apply it to your context. This means using the evidence to support decisions, solutions, or ideas and communicating them effectively to your audience. To do this, select the most relevant and convincing evidence from your synthesis and explain how it supports your claims or conclusions. Acknowledge the sources of your evidence and cite them properly according to the standards of your discipline or field. Additionally, adapt your evidence to the format, style, and tone of your communication, such as a report, presentation, essay, or blog post. Finally, anticipate and address any counterarguments, objections, or questions that your audience may have and provide evidence to refute or respond to them.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?