online research skills meaning

What are research skills?

Last updated

26 April 2023

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Broadly, it includes a range of talents required to:

Find useful information

Perform critical analysis

Form hypotheses

Solve problems

It also includes processes such as time management, communication, and reporting skills to achieve those ends.

Research requires a blend of conceptual and detail-oriented modes of thinking. It tests one's ability to transition between subjective motivations and objective assessments to ensure only correct data fits into a meaningfully useful framework.

As countless fields increasingly rely on data management and analysis, polishing your research skills is an important, near-universal way to improve your potential of getting hired and advancing in your career.

Make research less tedious

Dovetail streamlines research to help you uncover and share actionable insights

What are basic research skills?

Almost any research involves some proportion of the following fundamental skills:

Organization

Decision-making

Investigation and analysis

Creative thinking

What are primary research skills?

The following are some of the most universally important research skills that will help you in a wide range of positions:

Time management — From planning and organization to task prioritization and deadline management, time-management skills are highly in-demand workplace skills.

Problem-solving — Identifying issues, their causes, and key solutions are another essential suite of research skills.

Critical thinking — The ability to make connections between data points with clear reasoning is essential to navigate data and extract what's useful towards the original objective.

Communication — In any collaborative environment, team-building and active listening will help researchers convey findings more effectively through data summarizations and report writing.

What are the most important skills in research?

Detail-oriented procedures are essential to research, which allow researchers and their audience to probe deeper into a subject and make connections they otherwise may have missed with generic overviews.

Maintaining priorities is also essential so that details fit within an overarching strategy. Lastly, decision-making is crucial because that's the only way research is translated into meaningful action.

• Why are research skills important?

Good research skills are crucial to learning more about a subject, then using that knowledge to improve an organization's capabilities. Synthesizing that research and conveying it clearly is also important, as employees seek to share useful insights and inspire effective actions.

Effective research skills are essential for those seeking to:

Analyze their target market

Investigate industry trends

Identify customer needs

Detect obstacles

Find solutions to those obstacles

Develop new products or services

Develop new, adaptive ways to meet demands

Discover more efficient ways of acquiring or using resources

Why do we need research skills?

Businesses and individuals alike need research skills to clarify their role in the marketplace, which of course, requires clarity on the market in which they function in. High-quality research helps people stay better prepared for challenges by identifying key factors involved in their day-to-day operations, along with those that might play a significant role in future goals.

• Benefits of having research skills

Research skills increase the effectiveness of any role that's dependent on information. Both individually and organization-wide, good research simplifies what can otherwise be unwieldy amounts of data. It can help maintain order by organizing information and improving efficiency, both of which set the stage for improved revenue growth.

Those with highly effective research skills can help reveal both:

Opportunities for improvement

Brand-new or previously unseen opportunities

Research skills can then help identify how to best take advantage of available opportunities. With today's increasingly data-driven economy, it will also increase your potential of getting hired and help position organizations as thought leaders in their marketplace.

• Research skills examples

Being necessarily broad, research skills encompass many sub-categories of skillsets required to extrapolate meaning and direction from dense informational resources. Identifying, interpreting, and applying research are several such subcategories—but to be specific, workplaces of almost any type have some need of:

Searching for information

Attention to detail

Taking notes

Problem-solving

Communicating results

Time management

• How to improve your research skills

Whether your research goals are to learn more about a subject or enhance workflows, you can improve research skills with this failsafe, four-step strategy:

Make an outline, and set your intention(s)

Know your sources

Learn to use advanced search techniques

Practice, practice, practice (and don't be afraid to adjust your approach)

These steps could manifest themselves in many ways, but what's most important is that it results in measurable progress toward the original goals that compelled you to research a subject.

• Using research skills at work

Different research skills will be emphasized over others, depending on the nature of your trade. To use research most effectively, concentrate on improving research skills most relevant to your position—or, if working solo, the skills most likely have the strongest impact on your goals.

You might divide the necessary research skills into categories for short, medium, and long-term goals or according to each activity your position requires. That way, when a challenge arises in your workflow, it's clearer which specific research skill requires dedicated attention.

How can I learn research skills?

Learning research skills can be done with a simple three-point framework:

Clarify the objective — Before delving into potentially overwhelming amounts of data, take a moment to define the purpose of your research. If at any point you lose sight of the original objective, take another moment to ask how you could adjust your approach to better fit the original objective.

Scrutinize sources — Cross-reference data with other sources, paying close attention to each author's credentials and motivations.

Organize research — Establish and continually refine a data-organization system that works for you. This could be an index of resources or compiling data under different categories designed for easy access.

Which careers require research skills?

Especially in today's world, most careers require some, if not extensive, research. Developers, marketers, and others dealing in primarily digital properties especially require extensive research skills—but it's just as important in building and manufacturing industries, where research is crucial to construct products correctly and safely.

Engineering, legal, medical, and literally any other specialized field will require excellent research skills. Truly, almost any career path will involve some level of research skills; and even those requiring only minimal research skills will at least require research to find and compare open positions in the first place.

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The Most Important Research Skills (With Examples)

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Research skills are the ability to find out accurate information on a topic. They include being able to determine the data you need, find and interpret those findings, and then explain that to others. Being able to do effective research is a beneficial skill in any profession, as data and research inform how businesses operate.

Whether you’re unsure of your research skills or are looking for ways to further improve them, then this article will cover important research skills and how to become even better at research.

Key Takeaways

Having strong research skills can help you understand your competitors, develop new processes, and build your professional skills in addition to aiding you in finding new customers and saving your company money.

Some of the most valuable research skills you can have include goal setting, data collection, and analyzing information from multiple sources.

You can and should put your research skills on your resume and highlight them in your job interviews.

What are research skills?

Why are research skills important, 12 of the most important research skills, how to improve your research skills, highlighting your research skills in a job interview, how to include research skills on your resume, resume examples showcasing research skills, research skills faqs.

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Research skills are the necessary tools to be able to find, compile, and interpret information in order to answer a question. Of course, there are several aspects to this. Researchers typically have to decide how to go about researching a problem — which for most people is internet research.

In addition, you need to be able to interpret the reliability of a source, put the information you find together in an organized and logical way, and be able to present your findings to others. That means that they’re comprised of both hard skills — knowing your subject and what’s true and what isn’t — and soft skills. You need to be able to interpret sources and communicate clearly.

Research skills are useful in any industry, and have applications in innovation, product development, competitor research, and many other areas. In addition, the skills used in researching aren’t only useful for research. Being able to interpret information is a necessary skill, as is being able to clearly explain your reasoning.

Research skills are used to:

Do competitor research. Knowing what your biggest competitors are up to is an essential part of any business. Researching what works for your competitors, what they’re doing better than you, and where you can improve your standing with the lowest resource expenditure are all essential if a company wants to remain functional.

Develop new processes and products. You don’t have to be involved in research and development to make improvements in how your team gets things done. Researching new processes that make your job (and those of your team) more efficient will be valued by any sensible employer.

Foster self-improvement. Folks who have a knack and passion for research are never content with doing things the same way they’ve always been done. Organizations need independent thinkers who will seek out their own answers and improve their skills as a matter of course. These employees will also pick up new technologies more easily.

Manage customer relationships. Being able to conduct research on your customer base is positively vital in virtually every industry. It’s hard to move products or sell services if you don’t know what people are interested in. Researching your customer base’s interests, needs, and pain points is a valuable responsibility.

Save money. Whether your company is launching a new product or just looking for ways to scale back its current spending, research is crucial for finding wasted resources and redirecting them to more deserving ends. Anyone who proactively researches ways that the company can save money will be highly appreciated by their employer.

Solve problems. Problem solving is a major part of a lot of careers, and research skills are instrumental in making sure your solution is effective. Finding out the cause of the problem and determining an effective solution both require accurate information, and research is the best way to obtain that — be it via the internet or by observation.

Determine reliable information. Being able to tell whether or not the information you receive seems accurate is a very valuable skill. While research skills won’t always guarantee that you’ll be able to tell the reliability of the information at first glance, it’ll prevent you from being too trusting. And it’ll give the tools to double-check .

Experienced researchers know that worthwhile investigation involves a variety of skills. Consider which research skills come naturally to you, and which you could work on more.

Data collection . When thinking about the research process, data collection is often the first thing that comes to mind. It is the nuts and bolts of research. How data is collected can be flexible.

For some purposes, simply gathering facts and information on the internet can fulfill your need. Others may require more direct and crowd-sourced research. Having experience in various methods of data collection can make your resume more impressive to recruiters.

Data collection methods include: Observation Interviews Questionnaires Experimentation Conducting focus groups

Analysis of information from different sources. Putting all your eggs in one source basket usually results in error and disappointment. One of the skills that good researchers always incorporate into their process is an abundance of sources. It’s also best practice to consider the reliability of these sources.

Are you reading about U.S. history on a conspiracy theorist’s blog post? Taking facts for a presentation from an anonymous Twitter account?

If you can’t determine the validity of the sources you’re using, it can compromise all of your research. That doesn’t mean just disregard anything on the internet but double-check your findings. In fact, quadruple-check. You can make your research even stronger by turning to references outside of the internet.

Examples of reliable information sources include: Published books Encyclopedias Magazines Databases Scholarly journals Newspapers Library catalogs

Finding information on the internet. While it can be beneficial to consulate alternative sources, strong internet research skills drive modern-day research.

One of the great things about the internet is how much information it contains, however, this comes with digging through a lot of garbage to get to the facts you need. The ability to efficiently use the vast database of knowledge that is on the internet without getting lost in the junk is very valuable to employers.

Internet research skills include: Source checking Searching relevant questions Exploring deeper than the first options Avoiding distraction Giving credit Organizing findings

Interviewing. Some research endeavors may require a more hands-on approach than just consulting internet sources. Being prepared with strong interviewing skills can be very helpful in the research process.

Interviews can be a useful research tactic to gain first-hand information and being able to manage a successful interview can greatly improve your research skills.

Interviewing skills involves: A plan of action Specific, pointed questions Respectfulness Considering the interview setting Actively Listening Taking notes Gratitude for participation

Report writing. Possessing skills in report writing can assist you in job and scholarly research. The overall purpose of a report in any context is to convey particular information to its audience.

Effective report writing is largely dependent on communication. Your boss, professor , or general reader should walk away completely understanding your findings and conclusions.

Report writing skills involve: Proper format Including a summary Focusing on your initial goal Creating an outline Proofreading Directness

Critical thinking. Critical thinking skills can aid you greatly throughout the research process, and as an employee in general. Critical thinking refers to your data analysis skills. When you’re in the throes of research, you need to be able to analyze your results and make logical decisions about your findings.

Critical thinking skills involve: Observation Analysis Assessing issues Problem-solving Creativity Communication

Planning and scheduling. Research is a work project like any other, and that means it requires a little forethought before starting. Creating a detailed outline map for the points you want to touch on in your research produces more organized results.

It also makes it much easier to manage your time. Planning and scheduling skills are important to employers because they indicate a prepared employee.

Planning and scheduling skills include: Setting objectives Identifying tasks Prioritizing Delegating if needed Vision Communication Clarity Time-management

Note-taking. Research involves sifting through and taking in lots of information. Taking exhaustive notes ensures that you will not neglect any findings later and allows you to communicate these results to your co-workers. Being able to take good notes helps summarize research.

Examples of note-taking skills include: Focus Organization Using short-hand Keeping your objective in mind Neatness Highlighting important points Reviewing notes afterward

Communication skills. Effective research requires being able to understand and process the information you receive, either written or spoken. That means that you need strong reading comprehension and writing skills — two major aspects of communication — as well as excellent listening skills.

Most research also involves showcasing your findings. This can be via a presentation. , report, chart, or Q&A. Whatever the case, you need to be able to communicate your findings in a way that educates your audience.

Communication skills include: Reading comprehension Writing Listening skills Presenting to an audience Creating graphs or charts Explaining in layman’s terms

Time management. We’re, unfortunately, only given 24 measly hours in a day. The ability to effectively manage this time is extremely powerful in a professional context. Hiring managers seek candidates who can accomplish goals in a given timeframe.

Strong time management skills mean that you can organize a plan for how to break down larger tasks in a project and complete them by a deadline. Developing your time management skills can greatly improve the productivity of your research.

Time management skills include: Scheduling Creating task outlines Strategic thinking Stress-management Delegation Communication Utilizing resources Setting realistic expectations Meeting deadlines

Using your network. While this doesn’t seem immediately relevant to research skills, remember that there are a lot of experts out there. Knowing what people’s areas of expertise and asking for help can be tremendously beneficial — especially if it’s a subject you’re unfamiliar with.

Your coworkers are going to have different areas of expertise than you do, and your network of people will as well. You may even know someone who knows someone who’s knowledgeable in the area you’re researching. Most people are happy to share their expertise, as it’s usually also an area of interest to them.

Networking involves: Remembering people’s areas of expertise Being willing to ask for help Communication Returning favors Making use of advice Asking for specific assistance

Attention to detail. Research is inherently precise. That means that you need to be attentive to the details, both in terms of the information you’re gathering, but also in where you got it from. Making errors in statistics can have a major impact on the interpretation of the data, not to mention that it’ll reflect poorly on you.

There are proper procedures for citing sources that you should follow. That means that your sources will be properly credited, preventing accusations of plagiarism. In addition, it means that others can make use of your research by returning to the original sources.

Attention to detail includes: Double checking statistics Taking notes Keeping track of your sources Staying organized Making sure graphs are accurate and representative Properly citing sources

As with many professional skills, research skills serve us in our day to day life. Any time you search for information on the internet, you’re doing research. That means that you’re practicing it outside of work as well. If you want to continue improving your research skills, both for professional and personal use, here are some tips to try.

Differentiate between source quality. A researcher is only as good as their worst source. Start paying attention to the quality of the sources you use, and be suspicious of everything your read until you check out the attributions and works cited.

Be critical and ask yourself about the author’s bias, where the author’s research aligns with the larger body of verified research in the field, and what publication sponsored or published the research.

Use multiple resources. When you can verify information from a multitude of sources, it becomes more and more credible. To bolster your faith in one source, see if you can find another source that agrees with it.

Don’t fall victim to confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is when a researcher expects a certain outcome and then goes to find data that supports this hypothesis. It can even go so far as disregarding anything that challenges the researcher’s initial hunch. Be prepared for surprising answers and keep an open mind.

Be open to the idea that you might not find a definitive answer. It’s best to be honest and say that you found no definitive answer instead of just confirming what you think your boss or coworkers expect or want to hear. Experts and good researchers are willing to say that they don’t know.

Stay organized. Being able to cite sources accurately and present all your findings is just as important as conducting the research itself. Start practicing good organizational skills , both on your devices and for any physical products you’re using.

Get specific as you go. There’s nothing wrong with starting your research in a general way. After all, it’s important to become familiar with the terminology and basic gist of the researcher’s findings before you dig down into all the minutia.

A job interview is itself a test of your research skills. You can expect questions on what you know about the company, the role, and your field or industry more generally. In order to give expert answers on all these topics, research is crucial.

Start by researching the company . Look into how they communicate with the public through social media, what their mission statement is, and how they describe their culture.

Pay close attention to the tone of their website. Is it hyper professional or more casual and fun-loving? All of these elements will help decide how best to sell yourself at the interview.

Next, research the role. Go beyond the job description and reach out to current employees working at your desired company and in your potential department. If you can find out what specific problems your future team is or will be facing, you’re sure to impress hiring managers and recruiters with your ability to research all the facts.

Finally, take time to research the job responsibilities you’re not as comfortable with. If you’re applying for a job that represents increased difficulty or entirely new tasks, it helps to come into the interview with at least a basic knowledge of what you’ll need to learn.

Research projects require dedication. Being committed is a valuable skill for hiring managers. Whether you’ve had research experience throughout education or a former job, including it properly can boost the success of your resume .

Consider how extensive your research background is. If you’ve worked on multiple, in-depth research projects, it might be best to include it as its own section. If you have less research experience, include it in the skills section .

Focus on your specific role in the research, as opposed to just the research itself. Try to quantify accomplishments to the best of your abilities. If you were put in charge of competitor research, for example, list that as one of the tasks you had in your career.

If it was a particular project, such as tracking the sale of women’s clothing at a tee-shirt company, you can say that you “directed analysis into women’s clothing sales statistics for a market research project.”

Ascertain how directly research skills relate to the job you’re applying for. How strongly you highlight your research skills should depend on the nature of the job the resume is for. If research looks to be a strong component of it, then showcase all of your experience.

If research looks to be tangential, then be sure to mention it — it’s a valuable skill — but don’t put it front and center.

Example #1: Academic Research

Simon Marks 767 Brighton Blvd. | Brooklyn, NY, 27368 | (683)-262-8883 | [email protected] Diligent and hardworking recent graduate seeking a position to develop professional experience and utilize research skills. B.A. in Biological Sciences from New York University. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Lixus Publishing , Brooklyn, NY Office Assistant- September 2018-present Scheduling and updating meetings Managing emails and phone calls Reading entries Worked on a science fiction campaign by researching target demographic Organizing calendars Promoted to office assistant after one year internship Mitch’s Burgers and Fries , Brooklyn, NY Restaurant Manager , June 2014-June 2018 Managed a team of five employees Responsible for coordinating the weekly schedule Hired and trained two employees Kept track of inventory Dealt with vendors Provided customer service Promoted to restaurant manager after two years as a waiter Awarded a $2.00/hr wage increase SKILLS Writing Scientific Research Data analysis Critical thinking Planning Communication RESEARCH Worked on an ecosystem biology project with responsibilities for algae collection and research (2019) Lead a group of freshmen in a research project looking into cell biology (2018) EDUCATION New York University Bachelors in Biological Sciences, September 2016-May 2020

Example #2: Professional Research

Angela Nichols 1111 Keller Dr. | San Francisco, CA | (663)-124-8827 |[email protected] Experienced and enthusiastic marketer with 7 years of professional experience. Seeking a position to apply my marketing and research knowledge. Skills in working on a team and flexibility. EXPERIENCE Apples amp; Oranges Marketing, San Francisco, CA Associate Marketer – April 2017-May 2020 Discuss marketing goals with clients Provide customer service Lead campaigns associated with women’s health Coordinating with a marketing team Quickly solving issues in service and managing conflict Awarded with two raises totaling $10,000 over three years Prestigious Marketing Company, San Francisco, CA Marketer – May 2014-April 2017 Working directly with clients Conducting market research into television streaming preferences Developing marketing campaigns related to television streaming services Report writing Analyzing campaign success statistics Promoted to Marketer from Junior Marketer after the first year Timberlake Public Relations, San Francisco, CA Public Relations Intern – September 2013–May 2014 Working cohesively with a large group of co-workers and supervisors Note-taking during meetings Running errands Managing email accounts Assisting in brainstorming Meeting work deadlines EDUCATION Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA Bachelor of Arts in Marketing with a minor in Communications – September 2009 – May 2013 SKILLS Marketing Market research Record-keeping Teamwork Presentation. Flexibility

What research skills are important?

Goal-setting and data collection are important research skills. Additional important research skills include:

Using different sources to analyze information.

Finding information on the internet.

Interviewing sources.

Writing reports.

Critical thinking.

Planning and scheduling.

Note-taking.

Managing time.

How do you develop good research skills?

You develop good research skills by learning how to find information from multiple high-quality sources, by being wary of confirmation bias, and by starting broad and getting more specific as you go.

When you learn how to tell a reliable source from an unreliable one and get in the habit of finding multiple sources that back up a claim, you’ll have better quality research.

In addition, when you learn how to keep an open mind about what you’ll find, you’ll avoid falling into the trap of confirmation bias, and by staying organized and narrowing your focus as you go (rather than before you start), you’ll be able to gather quality information more efficiently.

What is the importance of research?

The importance of research is that it informs most decisions and strategies in a business. Whether it’s deciding which products to offer or creating a marketing strategy, research should be used in every part of a company.

Because of this, employers want employees who have strong research skills. They know that you’ll be able to put them to work bettering yourself and the organization as a whole.

Should you put research skills on your resume?

Yes, you should include research skills on your resume as they are an important professional skill. Where you include your research skills on your resume will depend on whether you have a lot of experience in research from a previous job or as part of getting your degree, or if you’ve just cultivated them on your own.

If your research skills are based on experience, you could put them down under the tasks you were expected to perform at the job in question. If not, then you should likely list it in your skills section.

University of the People – The Best Research Skills for Success

Association of Internet Research Specialists — What are Research Skills and Why Are They Important?

MasterClass — How to Improve Your Research Skills: 6 Research Tips

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

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What are Research Skills? How to Improve Your Skills in Research

Learn strategies and techniques to improve your research skills. Avoid common mistakes and implement proven methods for efficient research. This article offers practical tips to enhance your ability to find and evaluate high-quality information.

Are you struggling to find relevant and reliable information for your research? Do you want to avoid getting lost in a sea of sources and needing help knowing where to start? Improving your research skills is essential for academic success and professional growth.

In today's information age, effectively conducting research has become more important than ever. Whether you are a student, a professional, or simply someone who wants to stay informed, knowing how to find and evaluate information is crucial.

Fortunately, some strategies and techniques can help you improve your research skills and become a more efficient and effective researcher. By avoiding common mistakes and implementing proven methods, you can enhance your ability to find high-quality information and make the most of your research endeavors. This article will explore some practical tips and tricks to help you improve your research skills and achieve better results.

What is Research?

Research is a critical part of learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. It is an essential process used in every field for both the individual and collective’s mutual benefit and success. Research involves systematically gathering data from primary or secondary sources, analyzing it, interpreting it, and communicating its findings to researchers and other interested parties.

Research can be divided into two main categories: quantitative research, which uses numerical data to describe phenomena, and qualitative research, which seeks to understand people's beliefs, opinions, values, or behaviors. Quantitative research often involves applying model-based approaches that can predict outcomes based on observations. It is one of the most powerful methods of discovering information about the world, as it allows for testing hypotheses in a systematic manner. Qualitative research is more exploratory in nature by focusing on understanding the motivations behind what people do or think rather than developing models or producing statistics in order to conclude behavior and relationships between variables. This type of research usually relies more on observation and engagement with people instead of using statistical models.

What are Research Skills?

Research skills are the abilities and talents required to focus on an objective, gather the relevant data linked to it, analyze it using appropriate methods, and accurately communicate the results. Taking part in research indicates that you have acquired knowledge of your subject matter, have digested that knowledge, and processed, evaluated, and analyzed it until you can resolve a problem or answer a query. It is highly beneficial for employers to hire people with strong research skills since they can provide valuable insights and add value to the company’s performance. Therefore, researching effectively has become crucial to securing a job in most industries.

Why Do Research Skills Matter?

Research skills are essential if one intends to succeed in today's competitive world. With technology ever-evolving and a need to stay ahead of the competition, employees who possess research skills can prove invaluable to their employers. These skills include researching, analyzing, and interpreting data and making informed decisions based on that information.

Employers value workers who can quickly develop a thorough understanding of any changes or trends in their field of work through accurate research. Knowing how to assess customer needs, recognize competition, write reports, improve productivity, and advise on investments can also benefit any business. With the help of research skills, companies can uncover ways to adapt their services or products that better serve their customers’ needs while helping them save money at the same time. This makes overall operations more efficient as well as helps a company remain ahead of its competitors.

Essential Research Skills :

Here is a list of essential research skills:

Data Collection

Data collection is an important part of comprehending a certain topic and ensuring reliable information is collected while striving to answer complex questions. Every situation differs, but data collection typically includes surveys, interviews, observations, and existing document reviews. The data collected can be quantitative or qualitative, depending on the nature of the problem at hand. As students advance through university and other educational institutions, they will need to read extensively into a particular field and may even need to undertake comprehensive literature reviews to answer fundamental questions.

The skills acquired through data collection during university are invaluable for future roles and jobs. Gaining experience in understanding complex topics, reading widely on a given subject matter, collecting relevant data, and analyzing findings - all these activities are integral when dealing with any type of project within the corporate sector. Therefore, embarking on various research projects enhances a person's education level and brings about significant professional experience.

Goal-Setting

Setting goals is an important skill for any successful research project. It allows you to stay focused and motivated throughout the process. Goals are also essential in helping with direction: they provide a path to organize our thoughts, narrow our focus, and prioritize the tasks we need to undertake to achieve our desired result. The concept of goal-setting is inherent in most research processes, as everything needs to have something to strive for — whether that’s gaining knowledge about a particular topic or testing a theory.

When it comes to creating and setting goals during the research process, you must have clear and specific objectives in mind from the outset. Writing down your thoughts helps define these objectives, which can inform the data collection process; moreover, thinking about short-term and long-term goals can help you create manageable steps toward achieving them. Learning how to break up larger projects into smaller “mini-goals effectively” can make all the difference when tackling complex investigations — allowing researchers to monitor their progress more easily and culminate results further down the line.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is an integral part of the modern workplace. To succeed, one must be able to look at a situation objectively and make decisions based on evidence. The information examined needs to come from various sources, such as data collection, personal observation, or analysis. The goal should then be to take all this information and form a logical judgment that informs an action plan or idea.

Someone who displays strong critical thinking skills will not just accept proposed ideas at face value but instead can understand how these ideas can be applied and challenged. Accepting something without consideration means making the wrong decision due to a lack of thought. Critical thinkers understand how brainstorming works, assessing all elements before forming any decision. From negotiating with colleagues or customers in adversarial scenarios to analyzing complex documents such as legal contracts in order to review business agreements - critical dedicated apply their knowledge effectively and are able to back up their evaluation with evidence collected from multiple sources.

Observation Skills

Observation skills are necessary for conducting any form of research, whether it be in the workplace or as part of an investigative process. It is important to be able to pick up on the details that might otherwise pass unnoticed, such as inconsistencies in data or irregularities in how something is presented, and to pay careful attention to regulations and procedures that govern the company or environment. This can help researchers to ensure their processes are accurate and reliable.

As well as analyzing what we see around us directly, many research methodologies often involve calculated statistical analyses and calculations. For this reason, it’s important to develop strong observation skills so that the legitimacy of information can be confirmed and checked before conclusions are formed. Improving this skill requires dedication and practice, which could include keeping a journal reflecting on experiences, posing yourself questions about what you have observed, and seeking out opportunities in unfamiliar settings to test your observations.

Detail Orientation

Detail orientation is an important research skill for any scientific endeavor. It allows one to assess a situation or problem in minute detail and make appropriate judgments based on the information gathered. A detail-oriented thinker can easily spot errors, inconsistencies, and vital pieces of evidence, which can help lead to accurate conclusions from the research. Additionally, this skill allows someone to evaluate the quality and accuracy of data recorded during an experiment or project more efficiently to ensure validity.

Spotting small mistakes that may otherwise have been overlooked is a crucial part of conducting detailed research that must be perfected. Individuals aiming for superior outcomes should strive to develop their skill at detecting details by practicing critical analysis techniques, such as breaking down large bodies of information into smaller tasks to identify finer points quickly. Moreover, encouragement should also be made for elaborate comparison and analysis between different pieces of information when solving a complex problem, as it can help provide better insights into problems accurately.

Investigative Skills

Investigative skills are an essential component when it comes to gathering and analyzing data. In a professional setting, it is important to determine the accuracy and validity of different sources of information before making any decisions or articulating ideas. Generally, effective investigation requires collecting different sets of reliable data, such as surveys and interviews with stakeholders, employees, customers, etc. For example, if a company internally assesses possible challenges within its business operations environment, it would need to conduct more profound research involving talking to relevant stakeholders who could provide critical perspectives about the situation.

Data-gathering techniques such as comparison shopping and regulatory reviews have become more commonplace in the industry as people strive for greater transparency and more accurate results. Knowing how to identify reliable sources of information can give individuals a competitive advantage and allow them to make sound decisions based on accurate data. Investing time in learning different investigative skills can help recruiters spot applicants dedicated to acquiring knowledge in this field. Developing these investigative skills is also valuable for those looking for executive positions or starting their own business. By familiarizing themselves with their application process, people can become adept at collecting high-quality data they may use in their research endeavors.

Time Management

Time management is a key skill for any researcher. It's essential to be able to allocate time between different activities so you can effectively plan and structure your research projects. Without good time management, you may find yourself hastily completing tasks or feeling stressed out as you rush to complete an analysis. Ultimately, managing your time allows you to stay productive and ensure that each project is completed with the highest results.

Good time management requires various skills such as planning ahead, prioritizing tasks, breaking down large projects into smaller steps, and even delegating some activities when possible. It also means setting realistic goals for yourself in terms of the amount of research that can be achieved in certain timestamps and learning how to adjust these goals when needed. Becoming mindful of how you spend the same hours each day will propel your productivity and see positive results from your efforts. Time management becomes especially relevant regarding data collection and analysis – it is crucial to understand precisely what kind of resources are needed for each task before diving into the research itself. Knowing how much time should be dedicated to each step is essential for meeting deadlines while still retaining accuracy in the final outcomes of one’s study.

Tips on How to Improve Your Research Skills

Below are some tips that can help in improving your skills in research:

Initiate your project with a structured outline

When embarking on any research project, creating an outline and scope document must first ensure that you remain on the right track. An outline sets expectations for your project by forming a detailed strategy for researching the topic and gathering the necessary data to conclude. It will help you stay organized and break down large projects into more manageable parts. This can help prevent procrastination as each part of the project has its own timeline, making it easier to prioritize tasks accordingly.

Using an outline and scope document also allows for better structure when conducting research or interviews, as it guides which sources are most relevant, what questions need to be answered, and how information should be collected or presented. This ensures that all information received through research or interviews stays within the confines of the chosen topic of investigation. Additionally, it ensures that no important details are overlooked while minimizing the chance that extraneous information gets included in your results. Taking this time upfront prevents potential problems during analysis or reporting of findings later.

Acquire expertise in advanced data collection methods

When it comes to collecting data for research purposes, a range of advanced data collection techniques can be used to maximize your efficiency and accuracy. One such technique is customizing your online search results with advanced search settings. By adding quotation marks and wildcard characters to the terms you are searching for, you are more likely to find the information you need from reliable sources. This can be especially useful if, for instance, you are looking for exact quotes or phrases. Different search engines require different advanced techniques and tactics, so learning these can help you get more specific results from your research endeavors.

Aside from using online searches, another standard methodology when conducting research is accessing primary information through libraries or other public sources. A specific classification system will likely be in place that can help researchers locate the materials needed quickly and easily. Knowing and understanding this system allows one to access information much more efficiently while also giving them ample opportunity to increase their knowledge of various topics by browsing related content in the same category groups. Thus, by learning about advanced data collection techniques for both online and offline sources, researchers can make substantial progress in their studies more efficiently.

Validate and examine the reliability of your data sources

Collecting reliable information for research can be a challenge, especially when relying on online sources. It is essential to remember that not all sources are created equal, and some sites may contain false or inaccurate data. It is, therefore important to verify and analyze the data before using it as part of your research.

One way to start verifying and analyzing your sources is to cross-reference material from one source with another. This may help you determine if particular facts or claims are accurate and, therefore, more valid than others. Additionally, trace where the data is coming from by looking at the author or organization behind it so that you can assess their expertise in a particular field and authority on the topic at hand. Once these steps have been completed, you can confidently use this trusted information for your project.

Structure your research materials

Organizing your research materials is an integral part of any research process. When you’re conducting a project or study and trying to find the most relevant information, you can become overwhelmed with all the data available. It’s important to separate valid from invalid materials and to categorize research materials by subject for easy access later on. Bookmarking websites on a computer or using a digital asset management tool are two effective methods for organizing research information.

When researching, it’s critical to remember that some sources have limited value and may be outside the scope of your topic. Recognizing reliable material versus trustworthy resources can be complex in this sea of information. However, sorting data into appropriate categories can help narrow down what is necessary for producing valid conclusions. This method of classifying information helps ensure that vital documents aren't overlooked during the organization process as they are placed in folders shortcutted for quick access within one centralized source whenever needed. Separating valuable sources also makes it easier to reference later on when writing reports or giving presentations - material won't get lost among irrelevant data, and conclusions will be backed by sound evidence.

Enhance your research and communication capabilities

Developing research and communication skills is essential for succeeding academically and professionally in the modern world. The key to improving these skills lies in rigorous practice, which can begin with small projects such as resolving common issues or completing a research task that can be made into a personal project. One way to do this is to volunteer for research projects at work and gain experience under the guidance of experienced researchers. This will improve your research skills and help you develop communication skills when working with others on the project. Another option is to turn a personal project into a research task. For example, if you plan on taking a holiday soon, you could create an objective method to select the best destination by conducting online research on destinations and making informed decisions based on thorough analysis. Practicing in this way enables you to complete any research task confidently and communicate efficiently with ease.

How to Articulate Research Skills on Your Resume

Research projects require commitment and perseverance, making it an important skill to include on a resume. Even if you have had limited research experience throughout your education or previous job, including this in your resume assesses these qualities to potential employers. It's important to consider the extent of your research experience when deciding how to add this part of your background to your resume. If you have been involved with multiple in-depth research projects, it might be best to highlight this by including it as its own section. On the other hand, if the amount of research you have completed is more limited, then try including it in the skills section instead.

When adding research experience and accomplishments into either section of your resume, be sure to emphasize any specific roles or contributions you made during the process instead of just describing the project itself. Furthermore, remember to quantify any successes where possible - this showcases both communication and technical proficiency strengths, which can help make your resume stand out even more. By properly articulating research skills within a resume, employers will likely be more interested in what job seekers have accomplished in their careers.

How to Apply Research Skills Effectively in Your Workplace

Research skills are an invaluable set of abilities to bring to your workplace. To make sure you use them properly, a good place to start is by taking time to plan the project you have been assigned. Whether it’s writing a report or analyzing data, mapping out what tasks you need to do and how long they should take helps to understand the project timeline better. This also makes setting aside dedicated time for research easier too.

To ensure that the decisions made are sound and informed, reading up on the subject area related to the project remains one of the premier ways of doing this. This will help to ensure that any problems arising can be solved quickly and effectively, as well as provide answers before any decisions are actually put into practice. By arming yourself with knowledge gathered through reading about a particular topic, it can give you more confidence when formulating plans or strategies in which direction to take your work in.

Final Thoughts

Research skills are increasingly important in the modern world, and gaining proficiency in this area can significantly benefit a person's career. Research skills are essential for success in many different roles and fields, including those within business and industry, education, science, and medicine. Developing a deep understanding of research allows us to identify problems better and critically evaluate potential solutions. It also bolsters our problem-solving abilities as we work to find creative solutions that meet our efforts' objectives.

By improving your research capabilities, you can impress employers during an application process or when joining a team at work. Research skills are considered soft skills by potential employers since they signal that you have attention to detail while simultaneously demonstrating your ability to learn new things quickly. Employers regard these skills highly, making them one of the key graduate career skills recruiters seek. Furthermore, being able to add ‘research skills’ to your CV will be looked upon favorably by employers and help drive up your employability significantly. Demonstrating that you possess these sought-after traits makes it easier for recruiters to give you the opportunity you've been looking for, so it's worth investing the time into developing these life-long learning tools today.

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The Best Research Skills For Success

Updated: December 8, 2023

Published: January 5, 2020

Every student is required to conduct research in their academic careers at one point or another. A good research paper not only requires a great deal of time, but it also requires complex skills. Research skills include the ability to organize, evaluate, locate, and extract relevant information.

Let’s learn how to develop great research skills for academic success.

What is Research?

We’ve all surely heard the term “research” endlessly. But do you really know what it means?

Research is a type of study that focuses on a specific problem and aims to solve it using scientific methods. Research is a highly systematic process that involves both describing, explaining, and predicting something.

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What are research skills.

Research skills are what helps us answer our most burning questions, and they are what assist us in our solving process from A to Z, including searching, finding, collecting, breaking down, and evaluating the relevant information to the phenomenon at hand.

Research is the basis of everything we know — and without it, we’re not sure where we would be today! For starters, without the internet and without cars, that’s for sure.

Why are Research Skills Important?

Research skills come in handy in pretty much everything we do, and especially so when it comes to the workforce. Employers will want to hire you and compensate you better if you demonstrate a knowledge of research skills that can benefit their company.

From knowing how to write reports, how to notice competition, develop new products, identify customer needs, constantly learn new technologies, and improve the company’s productivity, there’s no doubt that research skills are of utter importance. Research also can save a company a great deal of money by first assessing whether making an investment is really worthwhile for them.

How to Get Research Skills

Now that you’re fully convinced about the importance of research skills, you’re surely going to want to know how to get them. And you’ll be delighted to hear that it’s really not so complicated! There are plenty of simple methods out there to gain research skills such as the internet as the most obvious tool.

Gaining new research skills however is not limited to just the internet. There are tons of books, such as Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, journals, articles, studies, interviews and much, much more out there that can teach you how to best conduct your research.

Utilizing Research Skills

Now that you’ve got all the tools you need to get started, let’s utilize these research skills to the fullest. These skills can be used in more ways than you know. Your research skills can be shown off either in interviews that you’re conducting or even in front of the company you’re hoping to get hired at .

It’s also useful to add your list of research skills to your resume, especially if it’s a research-based job that requires skills such as collecting data or writing research-based reports. Many jobs require critical thinking as well as planning ahead.

Career Paths that Require Research Skills

If you’re wondering which jobs actually require these research skills, they are actually needed in a variety of industries. Some examples of the types of work that require a great deal of research skills include any position related to marketing, science , history, report writing, and even the food industry.

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How students can improve research skills.

Perhaps you know what you have to do, but sometimes, knowing how to do it can be more of a challenge. So how can you as a student improve your research skills ?

1. Define your research according to the assignment

By defining your research and understanding how it relates to the specific field of study, it can give more context to the situation.

2. Break down the assignment

The most difficult part of the research process is actually just getting started. By breaking down your research into realistic and achievable parts, it can help you achieve your goals and stay systematic.

3. Evaluate your sources

While there are endless sources out there, it’s important to always evaluate your sources and make sure that they are reliable, based on a variety of factors such as their accuracy and if they are biased, especially if used for research purposes.

4. Avoid plagiarism

Plagiarism is a major issue when it comes to research, and is often misunderstood by students. IAs a student, it’s important that you understand what plagiarism really means, and if you are unclear, be sure to ask your teachers.

5. Consult and collaborate with a librarian

A librarian is always a good person to have around, especially when it comes to research. Most students don’t seek help from their school librarian, however, this person tends to be someone with a vast amount of knowledge when it comes to research skills and where to look for reliable sources.

6. Use library databases

There are tons of online library resources that don’t require approaching anyone. These databases are generally loaded with useful information that has something for every student’s specific needs.

7. Practice effective reading

It’s highly beneficial to practice effective reading, and there are no shortage of ways to do it. One effective way to improve your research skills it to ask yourself questions using a variety of perspectives, putting yourself in the mind of someone else and trying to see things from their point of view.

There are many critical reading strategies that can be useful, such as making summaries from annotations, and highlighting important passages.

Thesis definition

A thesis is a specific theory or statement that is to be either proved or maintained. Generally, the intentions of a thesis are stated, and then throughout, the conclusions are proven to the reader through research. A thesis is crucial for research because it is the basis of what we are trying to prove, and what guides us through our writing.

What Skills Do You Need To Be A Researcher?

One of the most important skills needed for research is independence, meaning that you are capable of managing your own work and time without someone looking over you.

Critical thinking, problem solving, taking initiative, and overall knowing how to work professionally in front of your peers are all crucial for effectively conducting research .

1. Fact check your sources

Knowing how to evaluate information in your sources and determine whether or not it’s accurate, valid or appropriate for the specific purpose is a first on the list of research skills.

2. Ask the right questions

Having the ability to ask the right questions will get you better search results and more specific answers to narrow down your research and make it more concise.

3. Dig deeper: Analyzing

Don’t just go for the first source you find that seems reliable. Always dig further to broaden your knowledge and make sure your research is as thorough as possible.

4. Give credit

Respect the rights of others and avoid plagiarizing by always properly citing your research sources.

5. Utilize tools

There are endless tools out there, such as useful websites, books, online videos, and even on-campus professionals such as librarians that can help. Use all the many social media networks out there to both gain and share more information for your research.

6. Summarizing

Summarizing plays a huge role in research, and once the data is collected, relevant information needs to be arranged accordingly. Otherwise it can be incredibly overwhelming.

7. Categorizing

Not only does information need to be summarized, but also arranged into categories that can help us organize our thoughts and break down our materials and sources of information.

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What are different types of research, 1. qualitative.

This type of research is exploratory research and its aim is to obtain a better understanding of reasons for things. Qualitative research helps form an idea without any specific fixed pattern. Some examples include face-to-face interviews or group discussions.

2. Quantitative

Quantitative research is based on numbers and statistics. This type of research uses data to prove facts, and is generally taken from a large group of people.

3. Analytical

Analytical research has to always be done from a neutral point of view, and the researcher is intended to break down all perspectives. This type of research involves collecting information from a wide variety of sources.

4. Persuasive

Persuasive research describes an issue from two different perspectives, going through both the pros and cons of both, and then aims to prove their preference towards one side by exploring a variety of logical facts.

5. Cause & Effect

In this type of research, the cause and effects are first presented, and then a conclusion is made. Cause and effect research is for those who are new in the field of research and is mostly conducted by high school or college students.

6. Experimental Research

Experimental research involves very specific steps that must be followed, starting by conducting an experiment. It is then followed by sharing an experience and providing data about it. This research is concluded with data in a highly detailed manner.

7. Survey Research

Survey research includes conducting a survey by asking participants specific questions, and then analyzing those findings. From that, researchers can then draw a conclusion.

8. Problem-Solution Research

Both students and scholars alike carry out this type of research, and it involves solving problems by analyzing the situation and finding the perfect solution to it.

What it Takes to Become a Researcher

• Critical thinking

Research is most valuable when something new is put on the table. Critical thinking is needed to bring something unique to our knowledge and conduct research successfully.

• Analytical thinking

Analytical thinking is one of the most important research skills and requires a great deal of practice. Such a skill can assist researchers in taking apart and understanding a large amount of important information in a short amount of time.

• Explanation skills

When it comes to research skills, it’s not just about finding information, but also about how you explain it. It’s more than just writing it out, but rather, knowing how to clearly and concisely explain your new ideas.

• Patience is key

Just like with anything in life, patience will always take you far. It might be difficult to come by, but by not rushing things and investing the time needed to conduct research properly, your work is bound for success.

• Time management

Time is the most important asset that we have, and it can never be returned back to us. By learning time management skills , we can utilize our time in the best way possible and make sure to always be productive in our research.

What You Need to Sharpen Your Research Skills

Research is one of the most important tasks that students are given in college, and in many cases, it’s almost half of the academic grade that one is given.

As we’ve seen, there are plenty of things that you’ll need to sharpen your research skills — which mainly include knowing how to choose reliable and relevant sources, and knowing how to take them and make it your own. It’s important to always ask the right questions and dig deeper to make sure that you understood the full picture.

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10 Tips To Improve Your Online Research Skills

The world of the internet is gigantic. And we could easily lose direction if we don’t have the faintest idea about proper research skills and techniques. Around 1 trillion megabytes of data is produced on the internet every day. Hence, finding the data that ticks all your boxes require you to curate the data in a strategic way.

This article will walk you through the ten cardinal steps to improve how you utilize the internet for retrieving information. We are here to help enhance your research skills and ace in that research project you are working on!

Colleges arrange all sorts of writing seminar classes and workshops. However, the part where we teach real-life research skills to the freshers hardly ever happens. At best, students get a tour of the campus library with the librarian. However, the tour includes next to zero guidance on utilising the library resources with efficacy.

Considering the situation, students often rely on Wikipedia because it is quicker for a rundown of the information they need. However, learning research techniques can be good for your personal development. And college may not assist you in the process. So, you need to acquire the research skills and work on them by yourself.

Without further ado, let’s look at the ten techniques you can follow to become an expert in research.

1. Start Broad to Find a Specific Topic That Sticks

The first step in developing your research skills is to start big. Look into and read about the controversial issues around the world right now. If you are writing a paper for college, chances are your instructor already rolled out guidelines. Follow them for writing an appropriate paper.

If you do not adhere to the parameters, your instructor may not deem it as acceptable. For instance, you can’t write a paper on the origin of the Olympic Games in a STEM class. Hence, the topic has to be course-appropriate.

However, choosing the topic you want to work with will be solely your decision. The basic tip to selecting a topic is to choose something you are personally interested in. This will weaponise your motivation to deliver great content to your reader. Secondly, you will enjoy yourselves as you brush up on your research skills, learning more about the issue.

2. Do a Preliminary Search Online

Before you start writing, do a quick search on Google or Wikipedia. It will provide you with a brief idea about the work that has been previously done on the topic you want to work with. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can use Wikipedia or Google as reliable sources.

Use these tools to get an overview and a clearer understanding. Moreover, this is one of the vital research skills you can use to make sense of keywords. Using the appropriate keywords will help pose your arguments carefully. For instance, if you want to write a paper on the legalisation of marijuana, do not type that into the search engine. Instead, put the word marijuana and see what comes up.

Use broader keywords to get better results. Consequently, draw an outline of questions. And use those questions as keywords to look up online. It is one of the crucial tips for enhancing your research skills. Consequently, the more source of information you can have, the more original your paper will be.

We’ve all been through the struggle of finding valid information for our semester final analysis paper. You might be an excellent writer or drafter. But not having proper research skills can stop you from reaping the benefits of your gift.

You can take our internet research skills training course and learn how to find accurate information. The course will teach you to evaluate and validate the credibility of your source.

Internet Research Skills Training Finding the appropriate information from the internet is tough because of the widespread use of blogs and the effect of SEO and marketing. Enrol Now Internet Research Skills Training Finding the appropriate information from the internet is tough because of the widespread use of blogs and the effect of SEO and marketing. Enrol Now

3. Proper Use of Online Search Engine & Learning Tools

Using of online search engine more efficiently improves your research skills. So don’t spend all your time on Google, or just one search engine for that matter. First off, use your organisation’s online library resources. School libraries tend to have subscriptions to a plethora of academic databases.

Next, make yourself acquainted with Worldcat . It has over 2 billion bibliography items ready for you. Consequently, WorldCat is connected to library catalogues all over the world. You can use this feature to locate a particular journal, article, or book’s whereabouts. In short, WorldCat is the best friend every researcher wishes to have.

Consequently, you need to know how to experiment with keywords and filters. You might be knowledgeable about an ample amount of search engines. But having access to it won’t necessarily help.

It would help if you refined your online searches for better results. You can’t just type in a phrase and hit the search button because you will not find the data you want if you do that. This is where your expertise on keywords can help. Extract the essential words from your research questions. Moreover, use words synonymous with your keywords to generate better search results.

Using refined keywords and filters can help you dig deep into the subjects. As a result, you can find specific and useful information on your topic. Thus, keywords and filters are the ultimate search engine optimizing tools.

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4. Analyse the Credibility of Your Source

Anybody can publish their work or opinions on the internet. While you should not limit your research to a couple of articles, you should discern the source’s credibility. You can assess and analyse the credibility by always remaining vigilant.

Ask yourself questions like, does the source provide a similar view like other sources? Can the source give enough evidence to back up its claims? Does the source seem biased or have an ulterior motive? Does the author have sufficient expertise in their field? For instance, if an English major graduate starts conceptualising theories of quantum physics, steer clear right away.

For academic purposes, it is best to source information from academic journals and articles. However, books written on the broader aspect of your topic can be excellent sources too. Academic books have a lot to offer. Apart from the information, you can take up a tip or two about improving your research skills. 

Using newspapers and blogs as credible sources are frowned upon in academia. However, it won’t hurt you to read them. If anything, these would make you more knowledgeable because blogs and newspapers present you with more unprocessed and practical information in real-time.

5. Cross-Check Your Information

You now know where to and how to collect information from credible sources. Cross-checking the information you collected is integral in enhancing your research skills. As we’ve mentioned earlier, the internet is a big place. Anybody can publish their work without any factual checking.

Sometimes, the information from a source can be outright wrong. Hence, you must cross-check information with at least two other web pages. Remember the phrase that you don’t buy the first car you see? The rule applies to gathering information online as well. You should not get stuck on just one webpage. Stick to sources that have made their reputation providing quality information.

If you can’t verify the truth of the information to your satisfaction, better not to use it at all. Also, steer clear of social media for collecting data. It is a beehive full of misinformation.

6. Take Notes & Organise Your Information

The initial stage of honing your research skills can feel a lot like trudging through the mud. There are millions of data out there. Moreover, there could be thousands of previous research done on your topic. Needless to say, going through thousands of articles or journals is next to impossible.

However, you need to note down every useful information you can get from the source. This technique will help make your work more informative. Moreover, noting down the information will help you to be more organised. If you don’t take notes from the beginning, useful data might get neglected in the process.

Consequently, you might find yourself going through the same article multiple times to find a piece of information. This could make you feel lost and frustrated. Moreover, it takes away your precious time. While noting down the quotes and information, note down the page number and bibliography on the side. It saves you from fumbling away.

Consequently, make notes of your speeding thoughts in the notebook. Because chances are you won’t get the same idea twice. Make use of the bookmark tool. You can store the URLs in the bookmark in a separate folder. It will be easier for you to navigate. And later on, you could easily make a bibliography of all your references from the bookmark.

7. Cite Your Sources

You always need to give credit and cite your sources. Not citing your sources fall under the category of plagiarism. And it is a  severe violation of academic integrity. Hence, give credit where credit is due.

Moreover, citing your sources further increases your credibility.  In contrast, passing off someone else’s words as yours make your readers sceptic. Even if you plagiarise a single sentence, the whole point gets lost. No amount of research skills can help if you do not cite your sources. You can use any of the two popular citation formats; APA or MLA.

By citing your sources, you are also helping others brush up their research skills. As reading and collecting information from reliable sources is integral in developing your research skills. No matter how good your argumentative paper is, your instructor can take disciplinary actions if you fail to cite your sources. Because in academia, plagiarism is avoidable while dishonesty is deplorable!

8. Put Your Time Management Skills Into Use

As soon as you get a project on hand, make a research schedule. Create a few hours window in a day when you do nothing except work on your research project. This will let you block all the distractions and focus on the work at hand. In a sense, your time management skills can help you level up your research skills.

Proper research needs a systematic strategy. Not maintaining a timesheet can throw you off the schedule. You may feel like you are all over the place. Your progress may even seem cluttered. Map out how many minutes you will spend on each article. Moreover, you can make a routine of short breaks that you need to take in-between.

Choose a day in a week you feel more comfortable fiddling around in the library. It is better if you stop yourself from checking socials while working. Even just a little peek could throw you off the track. Because when you take an unscheduled break to check your emails, you have to reorient yourself when you come back. So, it is better to put your phone in do not disturb mode because it will help you keep focused.

9. Be Patient & Tackle Challenges

In the present world, we are used to getting things instantaneously. Do you want the latest iPhone? You pre-order it and receive it on the release day at once. Need a waffle machine?  Amazon Prime comes in with their same-day delivery policy.

However, the scholastic and research world is very different. In the sense that no one will serve you the data on a silver platter. You need to throw your hat into the ring and  get the job  done by yourself! And sometimes, searching through a pool of data and information can become very tedious.

You might even get frustrated if you do not find the answers you were looking for. And that is okay! However, you should not throw in the towel. Part of being a good researcher is about being patient and persistent. Some days, you might not find what you are looking for.

Regardless, you have to tackle all the challenges for finding the relevant information. Use sources that are even remotely related to what you are looking for. Sometimes, your job will be about drawing the faintest connection between a source and your topic. Moreover, you will need to comprehend and analyse the source for bringing attention to new ideas.

10. Be Ready For Unexpected Answers

Embracing uncertainty is what makes someone a good researcher with optimised research skills. Keep an open mind while you go into research for a topic. You might be presented with some very surprising answers. That is the thrilling part of your job.

Remember, mere looking for confirmation for what you already know is not a good practice. It makes your research scope too narrow and limiting. Moreover, there might not be enough information online on your research. Consequently, the sources may present arguments contradictory to your views. And you need to be okay with that!

Because you need answers to your research question, not reaffirm your belief, reformulating your opinions based on facts and evidence is a good practice. In addition, it adds to the effort of strengthening your research skills.

Research is not just about going through tons of articles or newspapers in a day. Online research skills are all about techniques. Believe it or not, your online research skills are not just for academia. These are transferable work skills. These 10-step research strategies are going to increase your productivity at the workplace, too.

For instance, you may need to research your competitor and develop a better marketing strategy. And to do that, you need to dig deeper and research what your consumers need. The process can be compared to a domino effect. It would help if you devised a proper game plan before diving into it.

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What are Research Skills and why are they important?

Most jobs actually require some level of problem-solving. You may come across an impediment and come up with a question that you must answer in order to proceed. To answer this question, you will almost certainly need to conduct some research. People with research skills can identify a problem, gather informational resources that can help address the problem, assess the quality and relevance of these resources, and come up with an effective solution to the problem.

By the way, to diversify your research paper process you can find unique research paper topics .

What is Research?

Internet Research is the practice of conducting research using Internet information, particularly free information on Internet-based educational resources (such as Internet discussion forums).

Simply put, research is the process of discovering new knowledge. This knowledge can be either the development of new concepts or the advancement of existing knowledge and theories, leading to a new understanding that was not previously known.

In fact, almost every profession or job necessitates some level of research and research skills. As long as you encounter a question, which is a natural occurrence in almost everything, you should encounter an opportunity to conduct research. When there is a need for research, strong research skills come in handy.

What are Research Skills?

Research skills enable you to focus on a specific goal, gather relevant information, and communicate your findings to others. We are taught from a young age to develop research skills, and for good reason.

Teachers in academia required answers to a series of topic-related questions in an essay. Similarly, your boss may eventually request that you investigate a work-related topic or figure out how to solve a problem.

Why are Research Skills Important?

Research skills are important in the workplace for a variety of reasons, including the ability for individuals and businesses to:

• Develop new processes and outcomes. You don't have to be involved in research and development to improve the way your team works. Any sensible employer will value your efforts in researching new processes that will make your job (and those of your team) more efficient.
• Personal Growth. People who have a knack and a passion for research are never satisfied with doing things the same way they've always done them. Organizations require independent thinkers who will seek their own answers and continually improve their skills. These employees will also learn new technologies more quickly.
• Customer relationship management. In almost every industry, being able to conduct research on your customer base is critical. It's difficult to move products or sell services if you don't know what people want. It is a valuable responsibility to research your customer base's interests, needs, and pain points.
• Cost Effective. Whether your organization is launching a new product or simply trying to cut costs, research is critical for identifying wasted resources and redirecting them to more worthy causes. Anyone who goes out of their way to find ways for the company to save money will be praised by their boss.
• Competitor Analysis. Knowing what your top competitors are up to is crucial for any company. If a company wants to stay functioning, it must research what works for its competitors, what they do better than you, and where it may improve its standing with the least amount of resources.

Types of Research Skills

Experienced researchers understand that conducting a worthwhile investigation necessitates a wide range of abilities. Consider which research abilities you have naturally and which you could improve.

Goal Setting

You must first know what you're looking for before you can conduct any form of productive research. Setting goals is a skill just like any other. It will be lot easier to construct a path there if you can imagine the conclusion you're aiming to attain by investing effort into research. Goal-setting skills include:

• Specificity
• Time-Management
• Planning ahead
• Organization
• Accountable

Data Collection

The collection of data is often the first thing to remember when thinking about the research process. It is a systematic process to collect and measure information on variables of interest that allows one to respond to research questions, to test hypothesis and to assess results.

Simply collecting facts and information on the internet can meet your needs for some purposes. More direct and popular research may be needed by others. You will be more impressive with your experience in different methods of data collection. Methods of data collection are:

• Questionnaires and surveys
• Observations
• Documents and records
• Focus groups
• Oral histories

Evaluate and Analyze Information and Sources

In research, it is important to find reliable information suitable for your task. Some tasks may require the use of certain types of sources, such as primary or secondary sources or certain types of journals, like scientific journals. You may need to restrict the numbers sources you use for other assignments.

In all cases, the information contained in your assignments should always be assessed. Knowing how to assess information helps you with research tasks and with your life's bigger decisions. Knowing where to go for information that is relevant, credible, and accurate can assist you in making informed decisions about graduate school, a new car purchase, financial aid opportunities, daycare options, and other topics.

• Published books
• Encyclopedias
• Scholarly journals
• Library catalogs

Using the internet to gather information

Search engines are used to find the majority of information on the Internet. A search engine is an online service that employs web robots to query millions of web pages and compile an index of the results. Internet users can then utilize these services to search the web for information. While it is beneficial to consult different sources, today's research is driven by good online research skills.

One of the greatest things about the internet is how much information it holds; unfortunately, getting to the data you need requires sifting through a lot of rubbish. Employers value the ability to efficiently utilise the large reservoir of knowledge available on the internet without getting lost in the clutter. The following are some examples of internet research skills:

• Source checking
• Searching relevant questions
• Exploring deeper than the first options
• Avoiding distraction
• Giving credit
• Organizing findings

Due to the sheer size of the World Wide Web, and with the rapid growth of indexed web pages, finding relevant and reliable information demands specialized training and Internet research skills . We provide a centralized virtual platform for knowledge professionals that use the Internet as a primary source of information. This AofIRS is more than just a virtual collaboration and networking platform for researchers and knowledge professionals. The website is filled with free, up-to-date content and reference material that is ideal for research.

Interviewing

Some research projects may demand a more hands-on approach than relying just on online resources. In the research process, being prepared with great interviewing skills can be really beneficial. Interviews can be a good way to get first-hand knowledge for your research, and knowing how to conduct an effective interview can help you improve your research skills. Interviewing abilities include:

• A plan of action
• Specific, pointed questions
• Respectfulness
• Considering the interview setting
• Actively Listening
• Taking notes

Report Writing

Report writing skills can help you in both your employment and your academic studies. In any case, the overall goal of a report is to transmit specific facts to its audience.

Communication is crucial for effective report writing. Your supervisor, professor, or general reader should comprehend your findings and conclusions clearly. Skills in report writing include:

• Formatting is important.
• Including a synopsis
• Keeping your focus on your main goal
• Developing a plan
• Proofreading\sDirectness

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking skills can help you a lot in the research process and in general as an employee. Your data analysis skills are referred to as critical thinking. When you're conducting research, you'll need to be able to interpret your findings and make rational judgments based on them. The following are examples of critical thinking skills:

• Observation
• Assessing issues
• Problem-solving
• Communication

Planning and Scheduling 

The development of baseline productivity and success standards is one of the most significant components of planning and scheduling. You won't know if you're meeting goals until you have a particular strategy in place with a specific desired outcome defined by a completion date.

It also makes time management considerably easy. Employers value planning and scheduling abilities because they suggest a well-prepared employee. Skills in planning and scheduling include:

• Setting objectives
• Identifying tasks
• Prioritizing
• Delegating if needed
• Time-management

Note-taking

Research involves sifting through and taking in lots of information. Taking thorough notes ensures that you do not overlook any findings and allows you to communicate these findings to your coworkers. Being able to take good notes aids in the summarization of research. Here are some examples of note-taking abilities:

• Using short-hand
• Keeping your goal in mind
• Emphasizing important points
• Reviewing notes afterward

Time Management

Unfortunately, we only have 24 measly hours in a day. In a professional setting, the ability to effectively manage this time is extremely valuable. Hiring managers look for candidates who can complete tasks within a specific time frame.

Strong time management skills imply that you can organize a strategy for breaking down larger tasks in a project and completing them by a deadline. Improving your time management skills can significantly boost the productivity of your research. Time management abilities include the following:

• Creating task outlines
• Thinking strategically
• Stress-management
• Utilizing resources
• Setting reasonable expectations
• Meeting deadlines

Other Helpful Research Skills

The definition of research skills is broad, and there are many traits that could help you in the research process. Consider some of the additional research skills below.

• Attention to detail
• Reading and writing skills
• Considering keywords
• Competitor comparison
• Multitasking
• Summarization
• Presentation

How to Improve Your Research Skills

The great thing about research skills is that many of us use them on a daily basis. When you use a search engine to find information on a topic, you are conducting research. However, there are more proactive ways to begin improving your research skills today:

• Make a distinction between source quality. A researcher's worst source determines how good they are. Start paying attention to the quality of the sources you're using, and be wary of anything you read until you've double-checked the attributions and works cited. Examine the author's bias, the author's research's alignment with the greater body of confirmed research in the subject, and the journal that sponsored or published the research.
• Verify information from several sources. It gets increasingly trustworthy when you can verify information from a variety of sources. If you want to strengthen your belief in one source, check if you can locate another that agrees with it. When you run into contradictions and conflicts in your study, you know you need to keep going until you reach a more definitive conclusion.
• Don't be influenced by confirmation bias. Confirmation bias occurs when a researcher expects a specific result and then searches for data to support that hypothesis, ignoring any sources that contradict or invalidate the researcher's initial idea. Be ready for unexpected responses and keep an open mind. Also, keep in mind that you might not be able to discover a definitive answer. It's preferable to provide the important points of your research to someone (such as your employer) and explain that it didn't lead to a concrete plan of action than to alter your data and give the answer you or your boss want to hear.
• Stay organized. You'll encounter a lot of material during the data gathering process, from webpages to PDFs to videos. To avoid losing something or not being able to properly mention something, it's critical that you maintain all of this information organized in some way. There are numerous methods for keeping your research project structured, but here are a few of the most common: Bookmarks in your browser, index cards, and an annotated bibliography that you update as you go are all useful tools.
• Develop your research skills. Professional certification will help you improve your research skills. CIRS™ (Certified Internet Research Specialist), is by far the only professional credential that meets this challenge. Professional researchers owe it to themselves to seek structured certification programs and stay in touch with new materials and tools that are available to transform research problems from very difficult or impossible to quick and simple tasks. We have developed a CIRS Certification (Certified Internet Research Specialist) to educate and train Online Researchers that now form a significantly large group of people involved in digital information research work.
• Get specific as you go. There's nothing wrong with commencing your investigation in a broad sense. After all, it's critical to become acquainted with the vocabulary and substance of the researcher's results before delving into the details. Orienting yourself to a new topic is an important step that will prevent you from being discouraged and working backwards.
• Learn how to spot a reliable source. Because not all sources are trustworthy, it's critical to be able to distinguish between the good and the bad. To find a trustworthy source, utilize your critical thinking and analytical skills to ask yourself the following questions: Is this source consistent with other sources I've discovered? Is the author a subject matter expert? Is there a conflict of interest in the author's point of view on this subject?

If you're ready to conduct research to enhance your search efforts, the following resources will be useful:

• Educational Search Engines for Students
• Top 100  Academic Search Engines
• 3 ways to help students do efficient online research

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World's leading professional association of Internet Research Specialists - We deliver Knowledge, Education, Training, and Certification in the field of Professional Online Research. The AOFIRS is considered a major contributor in improving Web Search Skills and recognizes Online Research work as a full-time occupation for those that use the Internet as their primary source of information.

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Teaching Students Better Online Research Skills

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Sara Shaw, an elementary school teacher in Avon, Mass., realized she needed to teach online research skills several years ago when her students kept turning in projects riddled with misinformation. The flawed material often came from websites the students used. They took the information as fact, when it often was just someone’s personal opinion.

Ms. Shaw thinks teaching online research skills is even more critical than it was just a few years ago. More than ever, information is literally at the fingertips of students through smartphones, tablet computers, and other digital devices.

“They will go on Google and type a word, and that is the extent of their research skills,” said Ms. Shaw, who taught 5th grade for 10 years and now teaches special education at Ralph D. Butler Elementary School. “There is so much more to doing research on the Internet.”

She is one of many teachers and librarians who are explicitly teaching online research skills, such as how to evaluate a website’s credibility, how to use precise keywords, and how to better mine search engines and databases.

In November 2012, the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project released a study that surveyed 2,067 Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers. It found that while most teachers agreed that the Internet provides a wealth of information to students, they also said students often don’t have the digital-literacy skills to wade through that information. Forty-seven percent of the teachers surveyed said they “strongly agree” and another 44 percent said they “somewhat believe” that courses and content focusing on digital literacy should be incorporated into the school curriculum.

Smart Searching

Teaching students to be savvy online researchers starts with knowing how to use key words. That is something 6th grader Katie Lacey has worked hard to master.

“You need precise words,” said Katie, a student at Albuquerque Academy, a private school for grades 6-12 in New Mexico. “If I’m looking up the John F. Kennedy assassination, I have to use those words. If I type in just Kennedy assassination, I could get information on Robert Kennedy.”

Another important skill to teach students is how to predict the results they expect to see when they type in search terms, said Tasha Bergson-Michelson, a librarian who works for the Google Search Education team at the technology company’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Doing that can help them know when they may need to change their terms, she said.

In addition, Ms. Bergson-Michelson advises students to skim search results for words that pop up, especially unfamiliar words. People have a tendency to skip over words they don’t know, she said. But those words, when added to search terms, can lead to more meaningful results. For instance, if a student wanted to find information on immigrants who send money back to their home countries, the term “remittances” comes up on search results.

“When you change the search to include the word “remittance,” immediately the type of sources are qualitatively different and more suited for an academic or scholarly pursuit,” Ms. Bergson-Michelson said.

Using search operators, words, or symbols that join key words to form a more complex query can make searching more focused.

Students can put quotation marks around their search terms to get results that include the exact wording. A minus sign eliminates something from a search. For instance, if students wanted to find information about the planet Saturn, but not the car of that name, they could type “Saturn-car” to narrow their results. Using “and” between search terms can give results that focus on two subjects, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

Choosing Search Engines

Finding the right search engine or database is also an important step in conducting online research, said Frances Jacobson Harris, a librarian at University Laboratory High School in Urbana, Ill.

She encourages students to use Google Scholar, which includes academic and scholarly sources of information. Google Books allows searchers to read pages from books, and if the information is useful, a searcher can then find the book in a library collection.

Gloria Ha, a junior at University Laboratory High School, said she first started learning about effective search techniques in 8th grade. Knowing how to search has made her more thoughtful in her approaches to finding information online.

“I usually start with Google Scholar or Google just to figure out what the topic is. Once I have a better idea, I’ll go deeper,” she said. “For example, if it’s a history paper, I’ll use the online library catalog, or sometimes there are e-books online through the university.”

Ms. Harris teaches students how to access the invisible Web, databases that schools and libraries pay a fee to access. Those databases include scholarly articles, academic journals, online encyclopedias, archived editions of periodicals such as The New York Times , and other resources.

Some teachers steer students toward sites and search engines written specifically for children.

For example, the Kentucky Virtual Library , a consortium of libraries that provides residents of the state access to online databases—has a portal for K-12 students that outlines the steps for conducting online research, including how to use key words and how to organize information into notes, that is written in student-friendly language and designed to appeal visually to young children.

The portal also allows young users to access databases geared to children, including Searchasaurus and Grolier Online.

“They are more likely to get the right information at their reading level than simply going on Google,” said Enid Wohlstein, the director of the library, which is based in Frankfort.

Ed Baklini, a 6th grade history teacher at Albuquerque Academy in New Mexico, advises his students when using Google to type in a key word and the word “kid” after it. Doing so pulls up results for younger students. Mr. Baklini also directs them to free databases such as an educational site managed by the Lone Star College System in Texas that contains information about American history decade by decade.

“When you go to one of these sites, there are hundreds of other trusted links to go to,” he said. “This information comes from librarians and teachers who have taught history.”

Evaluating Websites

Just as critical as smart searching is evaluating the information on the Web. Students can take specific steps to dissect a website, such as checking whether its URL ends in a .com, .org, .gov, or .edu.

“If it’s from a university, museum, government, or some state run agency, then it’s pretty valid,” Ms. Shaw of Butler Elementary School said. “If it’s someone’s personal website, how do you know what that person is saying is true?”

In any case, students should approach websites with a critical eye.

“They should ask themselves while searching on sites: Who wrote this? What is the perspective of the person who wrote this?” said Rebecca Randall, the vice president of education programs for Common Sense Media , a San Francisco-based nonprofit group that studies the effects of media and technology on young people.

“Or else while searching for information on African-American history, they could wind up on the site for the Ku Klux Klan.”

It’s also important to know if a site is commercial. If so, it may be slanted toward having users buy products.

“Not that advertising on a site makes it less credible,” Ms. Randall said. “But it’s just another point to consider when looking at information. What is the intent of the information?”

When students take the time to approach their Web research thoughtfully, they sometimes encounter websites that are biased. Ms. Harris, the University Laboratory High librarian, recalls working with a student who was writing a paper on George Orwell’s 1984 . The boy found an essay about the book on the site of the Institute for Historical Review. Upon closer examination, the website was a Holocaust-denial website, Ms. Harris said.

“It looks scholarly because it’s called ‘institute,’ and there are citations at the bottom,” she said.

To help students scrutinize websites, Ms. Harris uses a lesson called “Whodunit,” which takes students to various sites and has them answer questions about who wrote the information, what their credentials are, and who is sponsoring the site.

Ms. Shaw provides a checklist to help students decide whether sites are credible. It includes questions such as: Are there dead links? Do images support the stated facts? Are there links and references to other websites, and resources and experts that corroborate the information?

Mr. Baklini of Albuquerque Academy advises his students to be aware of sites where the language comes on too strong and the attempt is to persuade readers how to think.

He also starts the school year by teaching a media-literacy unit in which he shows students how to examine the persuasive techniques advertisers use when trying to sell products. The point is to teach his students how to look at media carefully. That ability to scrutinize carries over to their Web research, he said.

“I have them think about these persuasive techniques, and I say if you see any of those techniques in there, if someone is trying to convince you to think a certain way, you can still read that website, but take it with a grain of salt,” he said.

It can be difficult for teachers to carve out time to teach yet another set of skills. But it’s important to do so, Ms. Randall of Common Sense Media said.

“If you don’t take time to do it, the kids aren’t going to be giving you their best work,” she said. “You have kids pulling information from sources that are not reliable and building a hypothesis or research paper around information that isn’t accurate.”

Modeling the Process

Teachers should model the process for searching online and make it something students do regularly in their classes, educators say.

Ms. Shaw integrated searching into her classroom by creating a classroom job of “searcher.” That student’s responsibility was to search the Internet for answers to questions that would come up during the day’s class. Ms. Shaw used that approach as an opportunity to talk about strategies for good online research.

Teaching students solid online search skills is important not only because it will help them produce better work, but also because it prepares them to judge the validity of all sorts of information and to be critical thinkers.

Librarians have a natural place in the forefront of helping students be more adept at online research.

“School librarians should be a partner in this,” Ms. Harris said. “Oftentimes, teachers don’t realize that, or sadly schools don’t have school librarians.”

Teachers should give credit to the process of searching, not just for the final product, she added. Students can turn in search logs or annotated bibliographies to emphasize that process.

“This tells the students that teachers value what sources the students are using and that the sources they use matter,” Ms. Harris said. “That way, kids won’t just jump to the easiest, most meaningless thing.”

She and others say it’s vital to reinforce those skills repeatedly in working with students.

“They won’t learn everything they need to know from one assignment,” Ms. Harris said. “It’s like learning how to write. Every context is different.”

Coverage of the education industry and K-12 innovation is supported in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage. A version of this article appeared in the May 22, 2013 edition of Education Week as Teaching Students The Skills to Be Savvy Researchers

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• Open access
• Published: 26 October 2023

Developing research skills in medical students online using an active research study

• Aziz U. R. Asghar   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3735-4449 1 , 2 , 3 ,
• Murat Aksoy   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-3524 1 ,
• Alison I. Graham   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7334-9033 2 , 4 &
• Heidi A. Baseler   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0995-8453 2 , 5 , 3  

BMC Medical Education volume  23 , Article number:  805 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Metrics details

Developing research skills and scholarship are key components of medical education. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated that all teaching be delivered online. We introduced an approach to small group teaching in the academic year 2020–2021 online which involved students in an active (ongoing) research study to develop their research skills.

We acquired student feedback to evaluate their perspectives quantitatively on development of research and scholarship skills, teaching content and format, and tutor performance using this teaching approach. In addition, we captured free text responses from both students and tutors on the positives and negatives of our course, and their suggested improvements. We also compared summative assessment marks for the online/active research course (2020–2021) with those obtained from previous (2017–2019) and subsequent (2021–2023) teaching sessions.

Students were largely positive about most aspects of the online course utilising an active research study ( n  = 13). Students agreed that they were able to acquire research skills, particularly related to data analysis, transferable skills, and giving scientific presentations. A one-way ANOVA revealed no significant difference for assessment marks across all five teaching years (two years prior and two years following the online/active research course), indicating that the course achieved the learning outcomes. Students enjoyed the convenience of online teaching and the availability of course resources, but least liked the lack of in-person interaction and laboratory training. Tutors enjoyed the collaborative aspects of online teaching, but least liked the lack of face-to-face interactions with students.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that delivering online teaching which involves students in active research engages and motivates them to develop their research and scholarship skills. We recommend that educators consider incorporating a current research study in their undergraduate courses as this can enhance the student learning experience as well as the research project itself.

Peer Review reports

The General Medical Council in the United Kingdom requires that medical students achieve ‘ Professional Knowledge’ learning outcomes related to ‘Clinical research and scholarship’ [ 1 ]. The outcomes stipulate that ‘… newly qualified doctors must be able to apply scientific method and approaches to medical research and integrate these with a range of sources of information used to make decisions for care. ’ Specifically, they must be able to: ‘ Interpret and communicate research evidence in a meaningful way … ’; ‘ Describe the role and value of … quantitative methodological approaches to scientific enquiry ’; ‘ Interpret common statistical tests used in medical research … ’; ‘ Critically appraise a range of research information … as reported in the medical and scientific literature ’; and ‘ Describe basic principles and ethical implications of research governance … ’. One way the Hull York Medical School addresses this requirement is via its compulsory Scholarship and Special Interest Programme (SSIP), equivalent to the Student-Selected Component (SSC) in other medical schools in the United Kingdom.

Evidence for how best to teach research methods to undergraduate medicine students is limited, although there have been attempts to review best practice in this area [ 2 ]. Training in research skills can be integrated into the main curriculum and/or be available through extra-curricular components [ 3 ]. Transferrable research skills such as critical thinking and problem solving can be integrated into the main curriculum relatively easily. However, given the time and resource requirements needed for more authentic research experiences (for example, extended research projects), it may not be possible to offer these to all students. Laidlaw and colleagues suggest that student-selected components are a key space within the medical curriculum in which research skills can be developed [ 3 ].

The SSIP allows all undergraduate medical students to develop their academic research and scholarship skills and is led by tutors who are researchers and experts in their fields. Students select and study a specific area of interest in depth within fields including neuroscience, immunology, pharmacology, nutrition, cancer, psychiatry, palliative care, public health, and health inequalities. At the Hull York Medical School, all students undertake an SSIP module in both years of Phase I (Years 1 and 2) and once in Phase II (Years 3 and 4). The SSIP discussed in this paper was aimed at Year 1 students. SSIP teaching sits alongside prescribed parts of the curriculum which includes lectures, small-group tutorials using problem-based learning, clinical skills, and placements.

The Hull York Medical School is a five-year undergraduate medical programme with an annual intake of ~ 250 students per year. The academic year is divided into three terms. As part of the current SSIP in Term 1, Year 1 students undertake a series of whole-cohort sessions on a variety of general research-related skills which provides a grounding for the discipline-specific SSIP content in Terms 2 and 3. During Term 1, they also submit their preferences from the module choices available. Students are then allocated to one of their preferred modules which they study in Terms 2 and 3. The format of individual modules can vary but must meet the following learning outcomes: 1) introduce all students to the scientific method and different approaches to research; 2) provide the opportunity for students to develop as a scholar, scientist and practitioner; 3) promote the skills and attitudes required for in-depth study; 4) promote skills relevant to the doctor as a professional, including pedagogical skills.

For medical students in Year 1, the content of the current SSIP (from 2019 onwards) in Terms 2 and 3 is delivered to groups of students by staff based within academic research centres in the Hull York Medical School. Term 2 SSIP consists of six hours of teaching which takes place over eight consecutive weeks. Term 3 SSIP consists of six hours of teaching over nine consecutive working days. Students are expected to spend 100 h on the SSIP in total, and non-timetabled time is used for self-directed learning. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SSIP modules in neuroscience consisted of small group teaching delivered in person and included laboratory-based practical sessions. Laboratory practical sessions have been demonstrated to play a vital role in science education [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The purpose of our in-person laboratory sessions was to provide students with hands-on experience of neuroscience techniques with the aim of enhancing their understanding of neuroscientific concepts. Tutors acted as expert instructors, consultants to whom students could ask questions, and facilitated group interactions [ 7 , 8 ].

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the rapid move to an online teaching format in higher education institutions, a particular challenge for laboratory-based teaching [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Consequently, the pandemic prevented the delivery of our SSIP teaching in person for the 2020–2021 academic year. This posed a challenge for course tutors, as the replacement SSIP teaching had to enable students to successfully develop their research and scholarship skills entirely online. An innovative option was to involve the SSIP students in an active research study as a means of delivering their research and scholarship learning outcomes online. We define an ‘active research study’ as an ongoing research investigation in which data are collected and analysed concurrently while the course is being taught. This allows undergraduate students to observe the research process contemporaneously and gives them the opportunity to be involved in data collection and analysis.

Concurrent with SSIP teaching, the authors (AURA, MA, HAB) were researching the effects of COVID-19 on memory function using an online survey and memory quiz, the ‘COVID-19 Online Rapid Objective Neuro-Memory Assessment’ (CORONA) study [ 12 ]. We decided to utilise this investigation for our SSIP teaching. There are potential advantages of using an active research study for our SSIP teaching for both the students and to the research study. The primary advantage for the students would be in enabling them to gain research and scholarship skills in the absence of an in-person laboratory setting. By using an active research study, we hypothesise that students might find this more engaging and exciting than a standard practical exercise where the outcomes are known. Additionally, students could acquire skills and experience in the participant recruitment process. There could also be secondary advantages to the research study itself. For example, as students distributed the survey/memory quiz to their networks, there could be wider survey distribution, thereby increasing the size and demographic breadth of the study sample. Moreover, given the rapid output of COVID-19 research publications at that time, having multiple students engaged in literature searches enabled the timely identification of relevant literature.

The aim of this study was to explore student perceptions of an online SSIP course which involved them in an active research study. Within this context, we used a questionnaire to ask students whether the course developed their research and scholarship skills, and to evaluate the teaching content and format, as well as tutor performance. We captured and analysed student and tutor reflections on the positives and negatives of the online SSIP and possible improvements. To evaluate objectively whether learning outcomes were met successfully in the online/active research study SSIP course (2020–2021), we compared the student SSIP assessment marks across five years which included two years pre-pandemic and two subsequent years. We predicted that using an active research study to deliver SSIP teaching would interest, engage, and motivate the students while meeting the learning outcomes.

SSIP in-person teaching prior to COVID-19 (2017–2019)

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SSIP in neuroscience consisted of mandatory face-to-face tutorials and laboratory-based sessions delivered by three different tutors. Face-to-face tutorials (~ eight Year 1 students per tutor group) consisted of introduction to research methods, ethics, scientific oral/poster presentation and writing skills. Neuroscience-related practical sessions covered a range of topics, including clinical vision assessment and magnetic resonance imaging, recordings of neuronal oscillations and human electroencephalography. In all practical sessions, students gained live, in-person experience in experimental research design and set-up, data acquisition, analysis, visualisation, and interpretation. Additional supporting resources were provided online using the virtual learning environment (VLE), including timetables, research articles and relevant videos. Summative assessments consisted of scientific essays, posters and oral presentations based on their reading of the background literature and practical work.

SSIP online teaching during COVID-19 (2020–2021)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the online SSIP content was designed to meet the same learning outcomes set out by the General Medical Council as in previous years (under ‘Clinical research and scholarship’) [ 1 ] . SSIP teaching sessions were redesigned and delivered completely online and synchronously using video conferencing via Microsoft Teams, and again, attendance was mandatory. In Term 2, teaching sessions started in January 2021 which coincided with the third national lockdown in England, UK [ 13 ]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Year 1 students undertaking the SSIP had no prior experience with in-person teaching in the medical school. The students were based in two geographical locations (eight students based in Hull and seven based in York) but tutors and their respective student groups were combined, and all eight teaching sessions across Terms 2 and 3 were delivered synchronously online by all three tutors together. Online tutorial sessions covered an introduction to the CORONA research study, research ethics, questionnaire distribution, research methods, data analysis and basic statistics, scientific oral/poster presentation and writing skills. The design of the online teaching sessions drew on best practice in online learning and teaching [ 8 , 14 ]. The first teaching session in Term 2 included icebreaker exercises to engage with students and to replicate the informal environment of in-person small-group sessions. At the start of every online session, tutors encouraged all students to turn on their video cameras and ask questions to facilitate engagement and interaction. Students and tutors could interact via onscreen cameras and the ‘chat’ function in Microsoft Teams to allow students to give immediate feedback, provide reactions (e.g., ‘raised hand’), ask questions, and share their ideas. In one SSIP teaching session, we invited the clinicians involved in the CORONA research study to give their perspectives during an open discussion with the students. Following each online session, tutors had a debriefing session with each other reflecting on what went well and any areas of improvement.

Supporting resources were provided online on Microsoft Teams and the VLE, including timetables, research articles and relevant videos (for example, how to perform statistical tests in Microsoft Excel). Resources available to students in the online/active research course were therefore broadly equivalent to those provided in other years, although the scientific references provided were necessarily different due to the change in research topic. Students gave a formative scientific oral presentation online based on their reading of the background literature and were given written feedback from tutors. The students aided in the distribution of the CORONA survey and memory quiz during the period of the SSIP. Each student was given an individual research hypothesis/data associated with the CORONA study and undertook data analysis and interpretation to address the hypothesis. The summative assessment comprised a written scientific report. Tutors offered one-to-one online sessions to provide data analysis support, and separate sessions giving feedback on draft reports.

Ethics and consent

The study was carried out in conformity with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki, and local ethical approval was given by the Hull York Medical School Ethics Committee (Reference 20 62). All participants were adults aged 18 years old or older and consisted of undergraduate medical students at the Hull York Medical School and their lecturers/tutors. Only participants who gave their active digital written informed consent were allowed to complete the questionnaire. As part of consenting, we informed participants that the questionnaire was voluntary and anonymous. Moreover, it was stated on the consent page of the questionnaire that taking part or not taking part would not in any way affect the SSIP assessment marks. All data collected were non-identifiable.

Questionnaire design and dissemination

The online questionnaire was delivered using the Qualtrics platform accessed via a University of York license (Qualtrics, Provo, UT). The questionnaire was accessible via a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The questionnaire required responses to 19 statements covering four categories: tutor performance (six statements), student skills (four statements), teaching content (four statements) and teaching format (five statements). Questionnaire statements were displayed one question at a time on the screen. Participants were instructed to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with each statement using a slider scale. Participants were required to drag a circle (initially located at the halfway point) along a horizontal line to their selected point between two opposite labels at either end, ‘Strongly disagree’ (left) and ‘Strongly agree’ (right). There were no numerical labels on the horizontal line. This allowed respondents access to the full range of points between these two labels on the slider scale. Next, they were asked the following four open-ended free text questions to gather further details on student perceptions of the online SSIP and teaching preferences: ‘ What did you enjoy most about the SSIP being taught online?’; ‘What did you least like about the SSIP being taught online?’;‘What could be done to improve the SSIP being taught in an online format?’; ‘Which aspects of the SSIP would you prefer to be taught online and which aspects would you prefer to be taught in person? ’. Questions were created by AURA, MA and HAB based on previous literature [ 15 , 16 , 17 ] and other similar feedback questionnaires used within the Hull York Medical School and then reviewed by all of the authors including AIG who has experience in assessment and feedback research.

The web link to the SSIP feedback questionnaire was disseminated to all 15 Year 1 students on the neuroscience SSIP course. The questionnaire was issued on the last day of the SSIP course, one month prior to the release of the SSIP assessment marks. This was to ensure student response accuracy and avoid recall bias, and also bias based on assessment outcomes. All three SSIP tutors completed only the free text sections of the questionnaire.

Data analysis

The responses to the questionnaire were exported from Qualtrics to Microsoft Excel (version 2210, Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA). Although not visible to the participants, the response outputs from each of the 19 slider scale statements ranged from 0 to 100 arbitrary numerical units (resolution of 1 unit), where 0 represented ‘Strongly disagree’, and 100 represented ‘Strongly agree’. Means, standard error of the means and ranges were computed across 13 respondents using Excel.

Individual student and tutor free text responses were categorised and analysed using a six-step thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clarke [ 18 ] and Kiger and Varpio [ 19 ]. Two authors (AURA, HAB) used an inductive approach to collaborative coding [ 20 ] where codes were developed whilst working through the data set and there were no preconceptions about themes. We first highlighted free text responses for key words and phrases using Microsoft Word. Next, we looked for patterns and shared meanings in the highlighted key words and phrases, and then grouped them into themes. We counted the number of student responses within each theme and calculated the frequency as a percentage of the total number of students ( n  = 13). All tutor responses were included ( n  = 3). Given the relatively small number of student and staff participants, we thought it appropriate and important to report and consider all the viewpoints.

For the neuroscience SSIP for the period 2017–2019, marks were derived from summative assessments of essays in Term 1, posters in Term 2, and oral presentations in Term 3. From academic year 2019–2020 and for all subsequent years to date, the assessment format of the SSIP was changed by the Hull York Medical School, whereby the SSIP course marks were derived from a single summative assessment of a written scientific report/essay in Term 3. However, summative assessments were suspended in the 2019–2020 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the SSIP teaching in the years 2017–2019, the marks for Terms 1, 2 and 3 were averaged to produce a single summative mark for each student. Importantly, assessments for all years (2017–2023) were evaluated considering the same elements related to scientific background, data analysis/visualisation, and interpretation of the results in the context of the published literature. The same marking scale and rubric were used for SSIP assessments across all years: 1 = Fail ( Failed to meet many of the intended learning outcomes; work was deficient in critical aspects and demonstrated significant lack of understanding; lacked a secure basis in relevant facts and analysis; lacked a good structure. ), 2 = Pass ( Achieved the intended learning outcomes; used a sufficient range of evidence and displayed a good grasp of analytical issues and concepts; produced well-structured work. ), and 3 = Excellent ( Achieved all intended learning outcomes; used a comprehensive range of relevant materials and analyses; showed in-depth understanding of all key issues and concepts and clear evidence of critical and synthetic skills. ). A one-way ANOVA was used to compare mean summative marks across the SSIP teaching years 2017–2023, except the year 2019–2020 when no student summative assessments took place.

Student quantitative perceptions to questionnaire statements

Thirteen out of 15 students completed the questionnaire (87%); all who completed did so within two days of dissemination. Figure  1 shows student responses to 19 statements covering four categories: tutor performance, student skills, teaching content and teaching format. The mean scores for all the questionnaire statements exceeded 59/100 (although some individual responses were lower) indicating that most students agreed with the statements (Fig.  1 ).

Questionnaire statements arranged in rank order from highest (strongly agree) to lowest (strongly disagree) scores. The filled black circles represent the mean ± standard error of the mean. Parentheses after each questionnaire statement give the number of students who scored that statement > 50 (range: neutral to strongly agree). Square brackets give the range of participant responses (minimum and maximum values)

Students most strongly agreed with statements associated within the tutor performance category (Fig.  1 ). The highest mean scores ( most strongly agree ) were given for statements related to the level of tutor support (96.6 ± 2.5), tutor knowledge of course material (93.9 ± 3.1), the ability of tutors to present material in an engaging manner (92.3 ± 2.9), and whether tutors gave appropriate feedback on reports (91.8 ± 4.4). Relatively lower mean agreement scores were given for tutors making course materials available in good time (85.9 ± 6.7), and provision of appropriate feedback on online oral presentations (79.5 ± 8.7).

Within the student skills category, students agreed on average that the online/active research course enabled them to improve data analysis skills (91.9 ± 4.4), gain transferable skills (90.4 ± 4.3), and oral presentation skills (87.9 ± 3.7). The average scores were lower when asked whether they enjoyed the data analysis aspects of the SSIP course online (73.2 ± 6.7).

For the teaching content category, on average students found the topics interesting (90.2 ± 3.3), understood the content (87.8 ± 3.8), engaged well with the content (87.2 ± 3.8) and were motivated to learn more about the topic (84.9 ± 3.7).

Students agreed least with statements within the online teaching format category, related to enjoyment of the online SSIP course (63.2 ± 4.8) and undertaking another SSIP online (59.4 ± 7.1). On average, students agreed that they were looking forward to a laboratory-based SSIP (88.9 ± 4.9), thinking at the point of allocation that it would have been held in-person and not in an online format. On average, students agreed that the SSIP teaching was presented in a structured way (83.5 ± 7.1) and they engaged well with the online teaching format (81.5 ± 4.0).

Student qualitative perceptions of online course teaching

Table 1 lists five themes identified from free text student responses to the question, ‘ What did you enjoy most about the SSIP being taught online? ’ The most frequent theme for this question was related to convenience (54%), followed by use of online resources (23%) and use of screen sharing (15%). Other students enjoyed being able to experience research (8%) and communication/interaction online (8%). Table 2 lists three themes identified for the question ‘ What did you least like about the SSIP being taught online? ’ The most frequent theme for this question was related to communication/interaction (46%), followed by laboratory skills (31%) and engagement (23%). Table 3 lists four themes identified for the question ‘ What could be done to improve the SSIP being taught in an online format? ’ The most frequent theme for this question was related to resources (31%), followed by engagement (23%). A smaller number of students gave responses related to communication/interaction and laboratory skills (15% each). Table 4 lists six themes identified for the question ‘ What aspects of the SSIP would you prefer to be taught online …? ’ and six themes identified for ‘ … and which aspects would you prefer to be taught in person? ’. The most frequent themes for online teaching were related to content and data analysis (23% each), and for in-person teaching, the most frequent student responses were related to presentation skills (23%) and communication/interaction (15%).

Tutor qualitative perceptions of online course teaching

As there were only three tutors, we have included all their responses to the free text questions (Tables 5 , 6 , 7 and 8 ). The four themes identified for the question, ‘ What did you enjoy most about the SSIP being taught online? ’ were related to communication and interaction, collaborative teaching, convenience, and novelty (Table 5 ). Communication and interaction, laboratory skills and preparation time were the three themes identified for the question, ‘ What did you least like about the SSIP being taught online? ’ (Table 6 ). Only one theme, communication and interaction, was identified for the question, ‘What could be done to improve the SSIP being taught in an online format?’ (Table 7 ). Therefore, communication and interaction were a common theme throughout tutor responses to these three questions. Four themes were identified for preferences for online teaching (data analysis, academic writing, presentation skills and content) and two themes for in-person teaching (laboratory skills and general preference) (Table 8 ).

Comparison of academic assessment marks

Student attendance overall for the online/active research SSIP was 97.5%; out of eight mandatory teaching sessions for 15 students (8 sessions × 15 students = 120), a total of 117/120 attended with only three absences over the course. Assignment completion was 100%, and every student submitted their assignments within the deadline set. As an objective measure to determine whether learning outcomes were met during the year of the study (2020–2021), we compared summative assessment marks across five teaching years (2017–2023) which included two years prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and two years after the study year (Fig.  2 ). A one-way ANOVA revealed no significant difference for summative marks across all five years, F(4, 60) = 1.84, p  = 0.133, eta squared = 0.109. All students achieved a Pass or Excellent mark with no Fails.

Plot showing the mean assessment marks for the SSIP teaching spanning the years 2017–2023. The vertical dotted line represents the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A one-way ANOVA revealed no significant difference across the years ( p  > 0.05). *There were no SSIP assessments for the year 2019–2020. Marks: 1 = Fail, 2 = Pass, 3 = Excellent

Learning outcomes and developing student research skills

In this study we were interested in investigating student perceptions of a course delivered online which involved them in an active research study. The student responses to questionnaire statements indicate that despite major changes from in-person laboratory-based SSIP teaching to the fully online format using an active research study, students were largely positive about most aspects of the redesigned course delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though students agreed least with the statements related to enjoying the online teaching format, and whether they would undertake another SSIP online, the average agreement scores were still above 50%. While students expressed a preference for a laboratory-based course, they nonetheless reported that they developed valuable research skills from the online/active research course. Students agreed that they were able to acquire research skills, particularly related to data analysis, transferable skills, and giving an oral scientific presentation. However, they found the online data analysis component comparatively less enjoyable.

Assessments required students to demonstrate research skills gained, including researching and consolidating the relevant scientific literature, data analysis and visualisation, and interpretation of the results in the context of the field. In addition, students presented an overview of their selected topic based on their review of the literature, and generated a scientific report based on their data analysis, demonstrating their presentation and written research skills. SSIP summative assessment marks for the online/active research course in 2020–2021 were comparable to marks in earlier and later years, providing evidence that students achieved the learning outcomes and successfully acquired research skills.

Benefits of using an active research study to engage and motivate students

Our survey results show that using an active research study led to high student engagement with the online SSIP content and motivated them to learn more about the topic. There are several reasons that could explain why our students found the online/active research SSIP course engaging and motivating. Firstly, the choice of topic, the effects of COVID-19 on memory, may have been of special interest because it was timely and of current global concern. Most students agreed (a score of ~ 90%) that the topic was interesting, and that the teaching content was understandable. One student stated that the most enjoyable part of the online teaching was “Being able to see real-life research”. Secondly, students had the opportunity to contribute to an ongoing research study by distributing the survey online to recruit participants and by performing preliminary data analyses. Thirdly , the small group size (15 students to three tutors, a student-staff ratio of 5:1) may have encouraged greater student-to-tutor and student-to-student interactions (approximately half the students were located in Hull and half in York). In a previous study, some UK medical students reported that small group sizes elevated student engagement [ 16 ]. Indeed, one student based in York reported that the most enjoyable aspect of the online teaching was, “Being able to meet some Hull-based students.” Fourthly, students may have been more engaged because they were especially pleased with tutor performance. Indeed, the three statements with highest agreement from the students were that they felt well supported by tutors, that tutors were knowledgeable about the course and presented material in an engaging manner. Given that tutors were invested in the active research study, this may have been reflected in their knowledge of and enthusiasm for the topic.

In line with our results, a study of first-year undergraduate medical students demonstrated that early experiences of successful engagement with authentic research practices increases subsequent motivation for research [ 21 ]. Advice given by Ommering et al. states the importance of providing students with authentic research experiences, in particular addressing authentic research questions of clinical importance where possible [ 22 ]. The active research study used in the current investigation was timely and clinically relevant given the impact of COVID-19 on cognition, particularly memory function [ 12 ]. Engaging medical students with authentic research experiences early in their career is a potential way to reverse the decline in the clinical academic (also called ‘physician scientist’) workforce [ 23 ].

Learning context is important. Embedding an active research study in research methods training aligns with the principles of situated learning [ 24 ]. Lave and Wenger describe how learners learn through legitimate peripheral participation and benefit from exposure to a community of practice [ 25 ]. Through small-group discussions with expert tutors and exposure to real-world data, the students in this study began to integrate into the research community (five of the students from this group have actively sought to continue their involvement with research post-SSIP). Indeed, in their ‘Twelve tips’ guide to encouraging student engagement in academic medicine, Lawson McLean et al. encourage involving students in the practicalities of research [ 26 ]. Involving students in authentic ongoing research has been shown to benefit students in other practical disciplines such as language translation, with the potential to enhance the proficiency of students both as researchers and as reflective practitioners [ 27 ].

Benefits to research

Involving undergraduates had a direct benefit to our research study. For example, by distributing the research survey/memory quiz link to their networks, they aided in participant recruitment. In addition, they helped identify relevant references from the scientific literature and summarised them in their oral presentations. Another benefit of involving students was that they provided a diversity of perspectives, experiences and previously acquired skills to our research study. Based on these benefits, we recommend that educators consider involving undergraduate students in an active research study. Tutors may first need to consider the appropriateness of the research project for undergraduate teaching purposes. A second consideration is to ensure that ethical approval allows for student involvement in the research study, including aspects related to safety and confidentiality. Thirdly, the timing of the teaching sessions needs to be coordinated within the context of the research study, e.g., data collection. An alternative would be to involve students only in secondary data analysis, which would allow for greater flexibility. Overall, using an active research study not only advances student research skills, but can also bring value to the research project itself.

Benefits of the online teaching format

In a study investigating online clinical medicine teaching, faculty members reported high satisfaction with student engagement levels and the quality of student interactions for the online technology-enhanced sessions but low satisfaction with the in-person traditional clinical sessions [ 28 ]. In our current study, student and tutor free text responses indicated that they particularly enjoyed the convenience of learning/working online, the availability and use of online resources and the use of online video technology (screen sharing). Because it was online, it meant it was easier for students and tutors to attend without the need to commute, which was important because attendance for the SSIP was mandatory. Student attendance for our online SSIP teaching was high (97.5%), which is similar to the 100% attendance reported by Kay & Pasarica in a study using online teaching in medical education where the attendance was also mandatory [ 28 ]. This study reported that 100% of their students completed the online assignments ( n  = 27), which aligns with the 100% assignment completion rate in our online SSIP teaching ( n  = 15). This shows that for mandatory online teaching sessions, attendance and assignment completion rates are high.

Another aspect of online teaching that students liked was the availability of online resources which they could view before or after online sessions. For example, we made online resources available including the documents associated with the research study, literature references and video recordings on how to analyse the data using statistics. Our approach to the online sessions was in line with recommendations outlined by Ohnigian and colleagues [ 29 ]. For example, we made use of the chat function and encouraged students to turn their cameras on to ask questions and interact with the tutors and other students. Some students mentioned that they enjoyed most the way tutors used screen sharing function in Teams to demonstrate specific concepts, such as data analysis.

From the tutors’ perspective, they enjoyed the novelty and collaborative aspects of online teaching. For example, one tutor stated that they enjoyed the pre- and post-meeting sessions with the other course tutors. Another tutor pointed out that a benefit of working online with tutors at different locations was to gain from their diverse perspectives and teaching styles. Although these positives are both possible with in-person teaching, the online format made collaboration across geographical boundaries easier. Another advantage of conducting the course online is that clinicians were able to contribute to one of our online teaching sessions, which would have been much more difficult to arrange in person due to their demanding schedules.

Disadvantages of online teaching

There were aspects that students and tutors were less positive about the online teaching. Both students and tutors highlighted the lack of face-to-face interactions. Students were not able to meet tutors and other members of the group in person. Both students and tutors were concerned that the online format reduced student engagement. The lack of interaction with fellow students has been noted in a previous study which highlighted problems with student motivation, concentration and asking questions online [ 16 ]. Since the SSIP students often turned off their cameras and microphones, tutors also expressed concern that they were less engaged talking to a blank screen. Using a phenomenological approach, Schwenck & Pryor found that it was important for students to have cameras switched on rather than looking at a blank screen to feel engaged and connected [ 30 ]. Although there are several reasons why students do not turn their video cameras on, including it being considered the norm, and concerns about physical appearance or screen background, it may be possible to use strategies such as active learning techniques to encourage camera usage [ 31 ]. Cheung and colleagues found that students’ perceptions of online teaching were more favourable when video cameras were turned on so, although students are reluctant to do so, as educators, we should support students to turn their cameras on in sessions [ 32 ].

When students were asked which aspects of the SSIP they would prefer to be taught online and which aspects they would prefer to be taught in person, there was, in many cases, little agreement amongst students. For example, some students would prefer data analysis and statistics to be taught online whereas others would prefer these subjects to be taught in person. Similarly, some students think oral presentations should be done online, some think they should be done in person. This reflects the heterogenous nature of the student body and tutors should be mindful of this. Tutors could cater for the needs of a diverse group by offering multiple formats of engagement to increase accessibility. For instance, data analysis classes could alternate between classes being held online and in person.

Both students and tutors mentioned that they would have benefited from the experiences of learning and teaching in a physical laboratory space. One important point was that students were not able to develop laboratory skills that could best be learned using a hands-on, practical approach. One student captured this by stating, ‘ I was looking forward to the practical elements in the lab which could not be done online’. Colthorpe & Ainscough similarly found that although students believe the online teaching to be helpful, the lack of in-person laboratory classes and face-to-face interactions negatively affected their learning experience [ 11 ]. In our study, two students suggested that a compromise could be to demonstrate online some of the practical skills that would normally be done in the laboratory. One limitation of our study is that as the Year 1 students started during the COVID-19 pandemic, they did not have any prior experience with in-person laboratory teaching within the medical curriculum. Therefore, they were not able to compare the SSIP teaching we delivered online with a face-to-face taught laboratory course. Moreover, since the SSIP teaching coincided with a national lockdown, this may have impacted on how well students engaged with the online course. Because students were mandated to stay at home, they could have seen the online SSIP teaching as one of their only opportunities to gain research experience and interact with students/tutors, which may have inclined them to respond more favourably to our questionnaire.

One tutor expressed concern that more time was needed to prepare materials for the online sessions compared to in person. Given that tutors had to become familiar with new online software and features to deliver online teaching, this will have increased their preparation time. In line with this, a survey of academics found that more time is needed to prepare for online teaching compared to on-campus teaching [ 33 ].

Students and tutors both suggested future improvements to the online SSIP teaching. For example, recommendations included making the online course more interactive, keeping cameras on, using breakout rooms and the chat feature more, incorporating student-led sessions and keeping sessions shorter. When students and tutors were asked which aspects they preferred to be taught online versus in person, several students and tutors suggested that content and data analysis could be taught online, while laboratory skills could be taught in person.

Limitations

One limitation of the current study is the relatively small number of student ( n  = 13) and tutor ( n  = 3) participants. Ours is not the first study to consider the views of small numbers of medical students engaging with innovative teaching practices. For example, Margolin et al. considered the views of 13 medical students to make recommendations for online urologic education during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 34 ], and Blackard et al. piloted an online research training course with 27 medical students [ 35 ]. Our current study, which was undertaken in the context of small group teaching, provides data with initial indications that student perceptions were positive for teaching research skills online using an active research study during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hope is that our study encourages future studies using an active research study in larger cohorts across different medical schools and disciplines.

Both of the researchers (AURA and HAB) who coded the free text responses were involved in teaching and assessing the SSIP module and were investigators in the active research study. Whilst their familiarity with both the educational and research aspects of the project provided valuable context to the coding, we acknowledge that an independent researcher may have coded the free text comments differently.

Student engagement and motivation scores may have been affected by both the online teaching format and involvement in an active research study. We cannot disentangle the separate effects of each component in the current investigation. Each component would have to be evaluated in separate student groups, but such a study could lead to a lack of teaching parity across groups. A crossover design in which all students are exposed to each component consecutively could be another possible approach to extract the independent contributions of the online teaching versus the active research component.

Taken together, our results indicate that a course can be delivered online using an active research study that will enable medical students to acquire research and scholarship skills, thereby fulfilling the ‘Clinical research and scholarship’ learning outcomes of the General Medical Council. More generally, this approach could be utilised as a model to deliver online teaching in other disciplines requiring the development of student research skills. It would enhance course accessibility and accommodate the needs of student groups who find it challenging to attend in-person courses such as students based outside the university, or those with physical disabilities or caring responsibilities. Moreover, online teaching with an active research component could encourage greater collaboration between instructors and researchers, as there would be fewer time and space constraints, thereby enriching the student and tutor experiences.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Scholarship and Special Interest Programme

Student-Selected Component

Coronavirus Disease 2019

Virtual Learning Environment

COVID-19 Online Rapid Objective Neuro-Memory Assessment

Uniform Resource Locator

GMC: Outcomes for graduates 2018, General Medical Council. 2018:1–28.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the participants in the study and thank the students on the SSIP course.

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AURA conceptualised and designed the study, collected and analysed data and was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. MA helped design the study and provided significant technical support for survey design, data collection and analysis. AIG helped design the survey, provided feedback and advice on data analysis, and contributed to writing and editing the manuscript. HAB conceptualised and designed the study, collected, and analysed data and was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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The study was carried out in conformity with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki, and local ethical approval was given by the Hull York Medical School Ethics Committee (Reference 20 62). All participants were adults aged 18 years old or older and consisted of undergraduate medical students at the Hull York Medical School and their lecturers/tutors. Only participants who gave their active digital written informed consent were allowed to complete the questionnaire. As part of consenting, we informed participants that the questionnaire was voluntary and anonymous. Moreover, it was stated on the consent page of the questionnaire that taking part or not taking part would not in any way affect students’ assessment marks. All data collected were non-identifiable.

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Asghar, A.U.R., Aksoy, M., Graham, A.I. et al. Developing research skills in medical students online using an active research study. BMC Med Educ 23 , 805 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04781-5

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Academic Success in Online Programs pp 111–124 Cite as

Skills and Strategies for Research and Reading

• Jacqueline S. Stephen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8949-5895 2  
• First Online: 03 April 2024

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Education ((SPTE))

In addition to study skills and study habits, students need to be able to effectively engage in the process of research and college-level reading. Chapter 8 explains the significance of effective research and reading skills on academic performance. There are many types of research activities that college and university students are expected to actively participate in to complete various course requirements. Similarly, there are many different forms of literature that a student will encounter while engaging in the research process. College and university libraries provide access to a many of resources to support students through the research process. Thus, this chapter introduces students to the different types of research activities they can expect to engage in through their courses, explains the different forms of literature that a student may encounter during the research process, and provides insight into the many resources that libraries often provide to support student research activities and student development of college-level research skills. One of the areas of student development is in reading skills. Hence, Chapter 8 explains the various types of reading materials that a student may encounter in college or university courses, provides information on the styles of reading academic texts, and presents strategies to promote effective research and reading, including best practices for evaluating the relevancy and credibility of information sources.

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When and how often should I practice mindfulness exercises?

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Simple mindfulness exercises can be practiced anywhere and anytime. Research indicates that engaging your senses outdoors is especially beneficial.

For more structured mindfulness exercises, such as body scan meditation or sitting meditation, you'll need to set aside time when you can be in a quiet place without distractions or interruptions. You might choose to practice this type of exercise early in the morning before you begin your daily routine.

Aim to practice mindfulness every day for about six months. Over time, you might find that mindfulness becomes effortless. Think of it as a commitment to reconnecting with and nurturing yourself.

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• Bystritsky A. Complementary and alternative treatments for anxiety symptoms and disorders: Physical, cognitive, and spiritual interventions. https://uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed June 14, 2018.
• Seaward BL. Meditation and mindfulness. In: Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Well-being. 9th ed. Burlington, Mass.: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2018.
• Shapiro SL, et al. The Art and Science of Mindfulness: Integrating Mindfulness into Psychology and the Helping Professions. 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association; 2017.
• Lymeus F, et al. Building mindfulness bottom-up: Meditation in natural settings supports open monitoring and attention restoration. Consciousness and Cognition. 2018;59:40.
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• Practice mindfulness and relaxation. Springboard Beyond Cancer. https://survivorship.cancer.gov/springboard/stress-mood/practice-mindfulness. Accessed June 14, 2018.

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