Online research involves using the internet to gather information on a specific topic or subject. Here are some steps to help you to conduct effective online research:
Define Your Research Topic
Clearly define the specific topic or question you want to explore. This helps you stay focused during your research and obtain relevant information. Try to make this topic as specific as possible to ensure you get the most relevant search results.
Select Reliable Sources
Identify reputable and reliable sources for your research. These may include academic journals, government websites, established news outlets, scholarly databases, and reputable online encyclopaedias. Evaluate the credibility and authority of the sources to ensure the information is accurate and trustworthy.
Use Search Engines
Utilise search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo to conduct keyword searches related to your research topic. Enter specific keywords or key phrases that are relevant to your topic and analyse the search results.
Refine Your Search Queries
Experiment with different combinations of keywords and search operators to refine your search results. Use quotation marks for exact phrases, exclude irrelevant terms using the minus sign (-), or use specific search operators to focus your search, such as site: for searching within a specific website.
Evaluate Search Results
Assess the relevance and reliability of the search results. Open multiple sources and review the information they provide. Consider the source’s authority, the date of publication, and whether the information is supported by credible references or sources.
Dive into Specific Websites and Databases
Explore specific websites, online libraries, research databases, or specialised repositories that are relevant to your topic. These sources often provide more in-depth and scholarly information.
Take Notes and Organise Information
Keep track of the information you find by taking notes. Summarise key points, quotes, or any relevant data. Organise your notes in a structured manner to make it easier to refer back to the information later.
Verify Information
Verify the accuracy of the information you find by cross-referencing it with multiple sources. Look for consensus among reputable sources to ensure the information is reliable.
Cite Your Sources
When using information from external sources in your research or writing, make sure to properly cite and attribute the sources according to the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
Stay Updated
Online research is an ongoing process. Stay updated with the latest information by subscribing to relevant newsletters, following reputable blogs or social media accounts, and periodically revisiting your sources to access new research or developments.
Don’t trust Wikipedia
Wikipedia say so here. It can be useful to get you started, so our advice isn’t to avoid it completely, but use it as a springboard into more specific research. As it can be edited by anyone, including you and me, the information does not need to be verified, and so it cannot be fully trusted. There are a number of stories of how people have used it to create fake stories, which have then been used by the media and documentary-makers, which proved to be quite embarrassing for them
The most important thing to remember is to critically evaluate the information you find online and consider multiple perspectives to form a well-rounded understanding of your research topic.