Pre-sessional

© Kester Newill – materials developed from working with students on research projects. August 2011

Research skills: Starting your assessed annotated bibliography

The aims of this task are:

1. to demonstrate to you that research is an activity

that seeks to explain the world through frameworks

of academic ideas;

2. to give you practice at identifying ideas that relate

to real world problems in several subject areas; and

3. to recognize some specific terms that different

subjects use to refer to academic ideas, such as:

principles, theories, methods, models, rules, natural

laws and so on.

Task 1: Turning an introductory statement into a general research

question

Complete the gaps in table 1, by carrying out the steps (a-e) below:

a. Complete the introductory statements by using these words

and phrases:

Logistics models | Actuarial science | Economic theories |

Psychologists | Engineers

b. For each introductory statement, use a different colour to

highlight (i) the theoretical/academic element and (ii) the real

world problem

c. Complete the degree column with appropriate subjects

d. Transform each introductory statement into a general research

question

This task challenges you to reflect on the kinds of

academic ideas that people in your subject area use to

explain the world.

During this activity keep these questions in mind:

1. What type of real world problems is my subject

concerned with?

2. What kinds of academic ideas explain what

happens in the world?

Task 2: Finding general research questions in your subjects

a. In table 2 write three introductory statements, similar to the

ones in the table, that relate to your field of study

b. Highlight (i) the theoretical/academic element and (ii) the real

world problem

c. Transform these into general research questions

Now you have formulated some research questions, you

are in a position to carry out a preliminary literature

search (task 3).

Looking ahead:

After completing this task, print out your work (and the

sources you used), and bring to class on Monday for a

peer-review activity. You will be expected to answer

questions about your topic, and also to ask others about

their topics.

N.B. If you come to class empty-handed, you will be

unable to join the activity, which means you will lose a

valuable opportunity to participate in an authentic

academic discussion (a core aim of the 3-week course).

These tasks have helped you to produce a very basic

foundation of your annotated bibliography (which is

assessed at the end of the course).

You will, of course, be expected to continue reading

about your topic over the next few weeks, and develop

this foundation into a more substantial piece of work.

Task 3: Answering the general research questions

a. Select one of your general research questions as the topic for

your annotated bibliography

b. Use the research skills you have been taught this week

(searching for and comparing sources) to find sources of

academic literature related to your general research question

c. Complete table 3. In the ‘source’ boxes, answer these

questions:

Who has already discussed your research topic?

What academic ideas did they use to frame the topic?

o Hint: they probably tell you near the beginning

of their article, or book chapter

Why did you choose to use each source (i.e. what was

your ‘evaluation’ of the source?)

Pre-sessional

© Kester Newill – materials developed from working with students on research projects. August 2011

Table 1 General research question

Degree Subject Introductory statement General research question

Marketing;

psychology

Psychologists have long been

interested in the topics of buying

and shopping behaviour.

Which psychology theories explain

buying and shopping behaviour?

There are several

_________________________

to explain how companies are

valued.

__________________________

have suggested several methods

to improve soil qualities during

the construction of buildings.

__________________________

uses mathematical models to

help insurance companies

calculate risk.

There are competing

___________________________

that are used in business to

increase warehouse efficiency

levels.

Pre-sessional

© Kester Newill – materials developed from working with students on research projects. August 2011

Table 2 General research questions in your subject

Your degree

Subject

Introductory statement (academic

element; real world problem)

General research question

1.

2.

3.

Pre-sessional

© Kester Newill – materials developed from working with students on research projects. August 2011

Table 3 Answering the general research questions

Introductory statement General research question Sources Answers

Example topic:

Psychologists have long been interested in the topics of buying and shopping behaviour.

o Which psychology theories explain buying and shopping behaviour?

Keywords = "psychology" + "theory" + "behaviour OR behavior" + "buying" +

"shopping"

Sources / answers: ?????

Introductory

statement

General research

question

Search keywords

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3