Research skills
Define the task
Locate information
Essay writing skillsClarify the question
Don't be afraid to ask your teacher to explain parts of the assignment – it's their job to help you.
When you have a clear idea of what you're being asked to do, it's much easier and faster to get your assignment finished. So before you do anything, take the time to:
Read your assignment instructions
Assignments are usually designed to either test what you've been studying in class, or help you to find out new information on your own.
Your assignment sheet will tell you what information you need to find, and how you should present it. Teachers usually include assessment criteria too, so you can see how your work will be marked.
Write the question in your own words
Using the assignment sheet and your assessment criteria, write down the question in your own words. This will help you quickly see if there are any ideas you don't understand, so you can clarify them before you go any further.
At this stage, you can also jot down any questions you think you might need to answer during your research.
Identify key terms
You also need to identify the subject-specific words in your question. These words will help you focus on the most important parts of the question. They will also help you to start a list of keywords that you'll use when you begin your research.
For example
Think of your assessment criteria as a 'To do' list. Your teacher marks your work against each criteria so if you've covered them all, you should pass.
For example
‘We can really only guess at the reactions of the Aboriginal people to the impact of colonisation.’ Discuss.
You could ask yourself questions like:
1. Who were the Aboriginal people of Australia?
2. What was the impact of settlement on Aboriginal life?
3. How did European settlement affect their food supply, shelter and population?
You also need to limit your work:
4. Which indigenous group will I use as an example for my essay?
5. Which settlement will I focus on?
Also clarify what the question is asking you to do:
6. How did indigenous people react to settlement?
7. What kinds of resources might give me an Aboriginal perspective?
8. Why would we ‘only be able to guess at the reactions of the Aboriginal people’?
9. Did settlers record how indigenous people reacted?
For example
Make a speech and/or multimedia presentation about the role of one or more key Indigenous leaders in the 1967 Referendum campaign.
During your research, you'd answer questions like:
- Who were some of the leaders involved in the Referendum?
- Who will I focus on and why?
- What's some background information about the leader I've chosen?
- How were they involved in the Referendum?
- Why was their contribution important?
- What happened to them after the Referendum? Did their life change? Why? Why not?
