Cybersecurity (POL): Research Tips and Groupwork

Tracking Your Research / Creating a Research Log

It's always good to record where and how you researched your topic. .A research log keeps you on track and allows you to retrace your steps by identifying where you have researched (databases) what search terms you entered. It is. especially good for groups with many people actively researching simultaneously. A research log differs from research notes and  citation managers (such as EasyBib).

Sometimes your topic may transform into something else or you may realize that your research has unsupported ideas in your argument. Sometimes events change quickly and you need to locate updated resources. You can look at where and how you searched for your sources and perhaps try another search or update your results list.

 

Essentials for a Research Log

• Database(s) you used
• What date you searched in each of them -- filters used
• What words and phrases you used in your search strategy in each database
• Date of research
• Name/initials of researchers
• URL or Location of source
• Bibliographic citation
   

Other potential categories

• Summary of main points
• How does this relate to other sources
• How can you use tis in your research
• Note specific facts, evidence, or data you might want to use
   

Templates for Research Logs

 

Efficiently Working As A group

Working as a group can be stressful and challenging, bur also exciting. The more organized you are, the more efficiently you will work together to produce quality research. A video from University of British Columbia  "Working in Groups," provides a nice introduction. See below for more tips.

• Roles. Choose a leader. Be honest about your skills, but someone needs to organize meetings, work on deadlines and be able to keep everyone moving ahead -- someone who can be nice but firm.
  • Choose a leader
  • Appoint someone to take minutes during group meetings. 
  • Establish clear expectations of the group and individuals roles from the beginning
  • If you can have regular checkins (weekly?) to make sure everyone in your group knows what you are finding and that you know what others are finding.
  • You may want to establish group norms/behaviors
  • Be respectful, participate
  • Notify your group when you have conflicts or will be unable to deliver your assigned work , BEFORE the meeting. Life happens.  Be sure to suggest how/when you can supply the information.
     
• Organizing. Rough out a timeline (which will change) that highlights dates of group meetings and due dates of the parts of your project.  FREE organizational tools that may help you keep track of everyone's tasks and due dates. (Trello, Google (Drive, Sheets, Docs) Combine with your research log (see above)
   
• Beginnings. Brainstorm your topic. Get together as a group and collect all ideas without judgement. You may not use all of the ideas that are generated, but in talking your topic will become clearer and you will begin to work as one unit.
  • If you don't understand something or need clearer instructions, ASK your group members; work with the Librarian; consult with your professor
  • If you have strong opinions (or others in your group do), listen to each other, support your ideas with evidence, have a civil discussion. (It is OK to disagree, but you should have evidence to back up your discussion.)
     
• Organizing Strategies. How will you organize your research? An outline will help (although be prepared to change it throughout your research process). How will you communicate what you have found? The tendency is to divide tasks and not ideas among group members.( Consider working in pairs.) You need to find a way to communicate to each other what you have found. Research is collaborative and your knowledge may help someone else in your group. 
   
• Research Strategies. Identify search words and create search statements. identify potential databases and sources of grey literature (non-governmental organizations, think tanks and policy organizations, governments  etc. all have reports and collect data.) NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO CONSULT WITH YOUR LIBRARIAN.
   
• Final Product. In the end, whether a paper, presentation, policy report,  you must speak as one voice. If you have a group presentation, practice for a smooth delivery and to confine it to the time allotted.