Reading & Research - CU Scarborough - Academic Skills

Researching

Research - an introduction
A poster-style visual overview of what we mean by 'research'.
Type: PDF file / Creator: CU Group
Refining Web Searches
Infographic-style guidance on quick ways to refine your searches online or via Locate.
Type: PDF file / Creator: CU Group
Checking the validity of sources
Infographic-style overview of how to check the reliability, credibility and worth of an information source.
Type: PDF file / Creator: CU Group
Making Sense of Qualitative Research
This document provides a ten-step model to evaluate the validity, content and usefulness of a qualitative-based study. This can help your critical reading.
Type: PDF file / Creator: Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP)

Research Skills
The Research Skills section of the main CUS LibGuide has information about selecting resources, using common source types and understanding the language used when we talk about doing research.

Knowing Where to Look: Your Search Toolkit
Self-guided session on where and how to search for information, including sources provided by Coventry University.
Type: e-learning session / Creator: Coventry University
Know Your Sources: Types of Information
This session looks at different types of information and how to find reliable evidence.
Type: e-learning session / Creator: Coventry University
How are your research skills?
A short self-guided course on how to develop good search strategies for finding research.
Type: e-learning session / Creator: University of Salford
The Three Domains of Critical Reading
This narrated resource will help you to consider the validity of sources you read, synthesise them and show their relevance to your research aims.
Type: e-learning session / Creator: Newcastle University

Active Reading - Getting Started
Infographic-style guide to beginning using the active reading technique.
Type: PDF file / Creator: CU Group
Advancing Your Active Reading Skills
Infographic outlining the key features to look out for in a source when reading.
Type: PDF file / Creator: CU Group
10 Myths about Reading
Infographic outlining some of the mistaken beliefs students hold about reading for University.
Type: PDF file / Creator: CU Group

Critical Reading Questions
This site lays out a series of questions to ask of the sources you are reading. Questioning as you read can help you towards critical engagement.
Type: Webpage / Creator: University College London

Synthesis Matrices
One way of noting reading, making comparisons and beginning to critically engage with sources, is to use a reading matrix. This document includes two examples.
Type: PDF file / Creator: CU Group
Critical Reading & Analysis Grid
This is another grid to help make notes from reading, asking critical questions about each source you read and helping you organise your critique.
Type: PDF file / Creator: CU Group

Type: Sway presentation / Creator: CU Scarborough