People & organisations

There is a wealth of information on the web, so it's a good place to start your research. But really great research draws on a variety of sources.

You can get a lot of valuable information from the resources around you, including people and community organisations.

People

Talking to people in your community is one of the best ways to get unique material that no one else will have access to – a sure way to make your argument more convincing and your assignment a bit different!

One good way to find out about opinions in your local community is to conduct a survey. Another is to look for video or audio recordings relating to your topic.

You can find these online as podcasts and vodcasts. It's also worth looking at online databases of video and audio interviews.

The State Library of Victoria has a large collection of oral history recordings with important Australians. You can listen to these recordings onsite in the Arts Library.

Organisations

Members of community organisations are usually keen to promote their cause and may even have information packs designed for students. If not, they can direct you to reliable sources of information within the community.

If you find an organisation that may have information related to your topic, don't be afraid to contact them directly about your project. If you're unsure whether this is appropriate ask your your teacher or another adult first.