Due for next CRS lesson....

By your next CRS lesson you should have clear idea about the broad topic you have chosen and the research question you will use to guide you through this unit.

Write a proposal for next lesson, with a specific question, outlining what you intend to do and how. For example, the sorts of primary and secondary research methods you might undertake. Also why you intend to do this. Why did you choose this topic, why does this interest you?

Use the 'useful links' to the right and start having a look at the enourmous wealth of media related academic and popular resources available on the web.

Got a library card?

Yes? Brilliant. Start searching the Suffolk Libraries catalogue NOW to find some useful books for your research.

No? Shame on you. Go here or follow the link on the right to the Suffolk Libraries Direct page and click the 'Get a Library Card' button. Duh.

Having books as resource material is important as it shows you are using a range of resources and not just relying on the internet. Books can be great for background research to your broad topic as quite often you won't find much for your specfic area of study.

The obvious textbooks and non-fiction are great but you could also consider novels, poems and other fiction, so long as it relates to your topic!!

As with any other research you do you should take detailed reference notes of the texts you are using. Bare minimum for books is Author, title and edition, date, publisher, location of publisher, chapter or page reference. Make this the first thing you do before you read and take any notes from the text. The examiner is looking for accurate referencing so get into good habits early.

Welcome...

to the Thurston Community College Critical Research Study blog!

Look out for the useful links on the right to get you started with your web based research. Do remember that the net is just one place to look. Don't forget libraries (you know, books and that), journals, magazines, newspapers, films, television, radio, official reports, statistics, textbooks - and that's just for secondary research methods...

Keep checking back here regularly as new posts go up.

This unit allows you to really get your teeth into a topic that you are keen on.

I can't stress enough the importance of studying something that interests you personally. This makes it soooo much easier to take ownership of the project and this will come through in your writing. Remember that one thing the examiner is looking for in this paper is a sense of argument; much easier to construct an argument around something you are enthusiastic or passionate about, right?

Happy researching!