Research skills and critical thinking tutorials for school and college students
These tutorials, videos and guides will support you in your work at school or college and in your transition to university level study and employment.
Discovering
The information you use to inform your work at school, college or university is very important. The tutorials below will help you to navigate the information available and discover the most relevant and academically credible information for your needs.
Know your information sources (online tutorial / view as PDF)
Search planning (video – 03:35)
Using Google Scholar (video – 02:40)
Discovering and using images, graphs, charts, and figures (online tutorial)
Understanding
Working with the information you discover to find meaning and apply context is key to producing the best work you can. The tutorials below will help you to do this.
Developing your ideas with mind mapping (video – 04:08)
Note taking (online tutorial / view as PDF)
Questioning
Your work will benefit from using the best evidence and information available. The tutorials below will help you to analyse, evaluate, interpret and think critically about information.
What is critical thinking and why is it important? (video – 01:33)
Questioning and evaluating information worksheet (PDF)
The Fake News Game (online tutorial / view as PDF)
Referencing
Referencing is an important part of academic work, enabling you to acknowledge the work of others and avoid plagiarism. The tutorials below will help you to understand why this is important and how to accurately attribute sources.
Plagiarism and referencing (online tutorial / view as PDF)
Creating
Whatever work you produce, the process of creating enables you to blend ideas and produce new knowledge. The tutorial below will help you to write for your academic work.
Academic writing (online tutorial / view as PDF)
Disseminating
Effective dissemination will enable you to summarise and share your work and ideas. The tutorial below will help you to communicate effectively through presentations.
Presentations: plan, create and deliver (tutorial / view as PDF)