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Diploma in Higher Education Studies

What is research?

HES 103 · Research and Study Skills for University Study — Week 2 of 16

CourseHES 103
Week2 of 16
SemesterI
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This week’s topics

What is research?

  1. Asking questions and finding answers
  2. Examples of research in everyday life

What you will be able to do

  • 1.1 Distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

Activity

Discuss three news stories that report research findings.

Study materials

Further resources

  • Writing Guide, 12.1: Introducing Research and Research Evidence · PDF · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook (2021), 12.1: what research is and the kinds of evidence it uses, pp. 390–391 · for registered students
  • Introduction to Sociology 3e, 2.1: Approaches to Research · PDF · OpenStax Introduction to Sociology 3e (2021), 2.1: asking questions and finding answers with the scientific method, pp. 36–39 · for registered students
  • Predictable information literacy misconceptions of first-year college students · Open-access article · Hinchliffe et al. (2018), Communications in Information Literacy. Common first-year misconceptions about what research is and how it works. · for registered students
Materials marked “for registered students” open in the student portal, which is set up as soon as you receive final acceptance.
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Course plan
  • Week 1: Studying independently: planning your week
  • Week 2: What is research?
  • Week 3: Primary and secondary sources
  • Week 4: Finding information: libraries, databases and search engines
  • Week 5: Can I trust this source?
  • Week 6: Making notes from sources
  • Week 7: Referencing: why and how
  • Midterm: Midterm evaluation
  • Week 9: Plagiarism and how to avoid it
  • Week 10: Asking a good research question
  • Week 11: Collecting your own data: surveys and interviews
  • Week 12: Planning a project: aims, steps and a timeline
  • Week 13: Presenting what you found
  • Week 14: Reflecting on your learning
  • Week 15: Review and coursework completion
  • Final: Final assessment and submission
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