Midterms are approaching and with them comes the need to get focused on research and
study strategies to tackle your assignments and projects. This blog aims to provide
UW students with practical tips and resources to make the most of your midterm research
efforts.
Refine Your Research Focus
Instead of researching deforestation, the impact of exercise, or the best way to teach
students, consider breaking your topic down into a more specific focus. One way to
do this is to consider who is affected by your question, if there’s a specific geographical
focus you want to take, what you are trying to measure and/or what’s a new angle on
your topic.
For example, this could look like deforestation’s impact on indigenous culture in
Brazil, the impact of stretching on women over 50’s bone density, or the impact of
project-based learning on fifth to eighth-grade students’ civic engagement.
Start with Background Information
It’s easy to look at peer-reviewed sources as they are often what your instructors
ask you to find. However, looking for background information on your topic will save
you time in the long run. This is because using a background source first gives you
an overview of your topic, helps you to learn the vocabulary, allows you to see the
important researchers, and understand where your specific research question fits into
the topic’s landscape.
Skim Your Sources
It’s a terrible feeling when you read a peer-reviewed article that looked great based
on its title but then doesn’t fit your research needs. Instead, start by skimming
your article in a detailed way.
Understand Different Source Types
We’ve already discussed background information and peer-reviewed sources, but what’s
the difference? Background information is excellent for learning more about your topic
and writing introductions. It’s usually a source with a broad overview of a topic,
so it may not be considered “scholarly” in the same way a peer-reviewed article is
because it uses a lot of already published information instead of conducting original
research.
Primary sources could be empirical articles (articles where the authors conducted
original research and analyzed it in the article), diaries, old newspapers, images,
or other data. These can be useful for helping to illustrate your example, analyze
and replicate original studies, provide historical context, or as a jumping-off point
for your analysis.
Peer-reviewed articles are often “secondary sources, " meaning they interpret information
and data from other places. They are great for finding best practices, analysis of
information and credible information.
You may use all types of sources in your assignment -- they all serve different purposes,
so it’s important to consider what your research question needs.
Keep Track of Citations
UW Libraries databases provide a start to your citations through their built-in citation
generators. Save time and grab those citations - this will help you find the article
again and start your bibliography. Just make sure you check your punctuation and capitalization
against the APA or MLA style guide before you turn in your citations.
You also want to make sure you download articles you plan to use in your assignments
or copy their permalinks so you can get back to reading the articles online.
Utilize an Assignment Calculator
Not sure when you should start your research assignment? The University of Minnesota
Libraries created an incredible assignment calculator to help you map out what step
of the research and writing process you should do when based on your starting date
and due date.
Set a Study/Writing Schedule for Yourself
Do you work better in the mornings or at night? Are you focusing on one assignment
at a time or switching between assignments? I like to focus on one thing for about
25 minutes without distractions, give myself a 5-minute break, and then start again
with a new task. This is called the Pomodoro method - here's an example of an online
timer to help you:
Remember that taking breaks is essential, too!
Find Your Ideal Study Spot
I know you’ve probably heard this a lot, BUT it’s true. Your bed may be comfy, but
it’s easy to fall asleep or watch Netflix instead of focusing on your assignments.
The library has a lot of different study vibes. Check out our blog post about the
top 10 spots in the Libraries.
Ask for Help
UW Libraries has many ways to ask questions and get help. You can chat with us, text us, email us, or even meet with a librarian or Library Coach to answer your questions. Studio Coe can help with creating videos, podcasts, digital media, or VR for your assignments.
STEP Tutoring and the Writing Center also provide great help in preparing for exams and research papers.
With these tips in your toolkit, hopefully you'll be better equipped to tackle any
research project that comes your way. Happy exploring!
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