Research Skills Library Guide

This guide supports students and faculty in developing strong research, evaluation, and academic integrity skills. It explains how to find, assess, and use information responsibly for assignments, projects, capstones, and professional work.

This guide complements the Find Research page and the A–Z Library Resources directory.

How to Use This Guide Successfully

  • Start with academic discovery tools (Google Scholar, BASE, CORE) before general web search.
  • Prioritize peer-reviewed and institutional sources for academic work.
  • Evaluate everything using CRAAP (academic sources) and SIFT (web/news).
  • Use books for background, and journal articles for current research and evidence.
  • Cite correctly (APA recommended) to avoid plagiarism.

Quick links: Find Research • A–Z Resources • Programme Guides

1. Understanding the Research Process

Research is a structured process of asking questions, finding evidence, evaluating sources, and presenting findings ethically.

  • Define your topic – Narrow your research question.
  • Identify keywords – List synonyms and related terms.
  • Search strategically – Use academic search tools.
  • Evaluate sources – Check quality and credibility.
  • Synthesize evidence – Compare ideas across sources.
  • Cite correctly – Avoid plagiarism.

2. Finding Academic and Professional Sources

Use academic discovery tools before general web search engines. These tools prioritize scholarly and reputable content.

Recommended Research Tools

Tip: Start broad, then narrow using keywords, publication dates, and subject filters.

3. Understanding Different Types of Sources

  • Peer-reviewed journal articles – Highest academic credibility.
  • Books and ebooks – In-depth background and theory.
  • Theses and dissertations – Detailed research and methodology.
  • Government and institutional reports – Policy and applied data.
  • Preprints – Early research (use with caution).
  • Media and web content – Contextual or illustrative only.

Academic assignments should prioritize peer-reviewed and institutional sources.

4. Evaluating Sources (CRAAP & SIFT)

The CRAAP Test

  • Currency – Is the information up to date?
  • Relevance – Does it directly address your topic?
  • Authority – Who is the author or organization?
  • Accuracy – Is the information supported by evidence?
  • Purpose – Is it informational, persuasive, or commercial?

The SIFT Method (for Web Sources)

  • Stop – Pause before sharing or citing.
  • Investigate the source – Who is behind it?
  • Find better coverage – Cross-check with trusted sources.
  • Trace claims – Locate the original source.

Use CRAAP for academic sources and SIFT for news, websites, and social media.

5. Academic Integrity, Plagiarism & Citation

Academic integrity means using information responsibly and giving proper credit to original authors.

  • Always cite ideas, data, and quotations.
  • Paraphrase properly — do not copy sentence structure.
  • Use quotation marks for direct quotes.
  • Follow the citation style required by your programme (APA recommended).

Recommended citation help:

These tools support advanced research workflows: finding theses, locating open repositories, and discovering scholarly networks.

Quick Checklist Before You Submit

  • Did you use at least 2–3 peer-reviewed sources where required?
  • Did you check publication date and author credentials?
  • Did you apply CRAAP or SIFT to evaluate credibility?
  • Did you cite all sources correctly (APA recommended)?
  • Did you avoid relying on preprints or non-reviewed sources unless approved?