Personal Project / Action /
Research Notes
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To achieve your learning goal you will have to conduct research. Depending on the project this research may require books and scientific journal articles or be much more practical in nature. To record your research you will have to create a set of research notes.
Research Note Taking
Research Note Taking
In your Personal Project Notebook, under 'Deliverables', you will find a section labelled 'Research Notes'. This section has template research note cards for you to fill out. Taking research notes this way allows you to demonstrate almost all the specific AtL Skills related to the 'Research' skill cluster: Acknowledging, Organizing, Gathering and Evaluating research.
Reliability Issues
Reliability Issues
Author Unclear: It is unclear who or what organization has produced the content you looked at. This means the author's credentials cannot be checked.
Non-authoritative source: The content you looked at is produced by someone who is not an expert in the area of that topic.
Commercial interest: The content you looked at is produced by an organization that tries to sell something. This might mean they are selective with the information they provide or biased towards their own products or methods.
Old content: The content you looked at is old. Information about the Roman Empire from 1981 is probably not old. Instructions on how to build a website from 2016 are probably old.
Inaccuracies: You spot inaccuracies in the content you looked at. Things that are wrong or not exactly right or nuanced.
Bias: The content you looked at is clearly produced with a particular author's perspective. This perspective can be political, cultural or even algorithmic.
Lack of reviews: The content is from a non-authoritative source or a source with a commercial interest and not backed up by valid external reviews or endorsements.
Example Research Notecard
Example Research Notecard
When working on personal projects, especially those that are less academic and often involve learning from videos, it's crucial to evaluate your sources to ensure you receive accurate and useful information. Here are some tips to help you assess the credibility and reliability of these sources:
1. Check the Creator's Credentials
1. Check the Creator's Credentials
Background: Look into the creator’s background. Do they have expertise or experience in the field they are discussing?
Reputation: Are they known for their work in this area? Check if they have a significant following or endorsements from credible organizations.
2. Analyze the Content Quality
2. Analyze the Content Quality
Accuracy: Cross-reference the information with other reliable sources to verify its accuracy.
Clarity: Ensure the information is clear and well-explained. Complex ideas should be broken down into understandable parts.
Depth: The source should provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic, not just superficial coverage.
3. Evaluate the Source’s Objectivity
3. Evaluate the Source’s Objectivity
Bias: Be aware of any potential bias. Is the creator trying to sell a product or service, or do they have an agenda?
Balance: Check if the source presents multiple viewpoints or solutions to a problem.
4. Consider the Source’s Production Quality
4. Consider the Source’s Production Quality
Technical Quality: High-quality video or audio production can indicate professionalism and attention to detail.
Engagement: Engaging content that holds your attention often indicates that the creator has invested time in creating effective learning experiences.
5. Assess the Source’s Popularity and Reviews
5. Assess the Source’s Popularity and Reviews
Viewer Feedback: Look at comments and reviews. Positive feedback from other users can be a good indicator of the source’s reliability.
Engagement Metrics: Consider the number of views, likes, and shares as potential indicators of the source’s credibility and popularity.
6. Verify the Date of Publication
6. Verify the Date of Publication
Relevance: Ensure the information is up-to-date, especially in fields that change rapidly, such as technology or health.
7. Check for Supportive Evidence
7. Check for Supportive Evidence
References: Does the creator provide references or links to other credible sources?
Demonstrations: Look for practical demonstrations or case studies that back up the information provided.
8. Test the Information
8. Test the Information
Practical Application: Try applying the skills or knowledge yourself to see if the information holds true in practice.
Feedback: Share your findings with peers or mentors for additional perspectives.
By following these guidelines, you can more effectively evaluate and choose reliable sources for your personal projects, ensuring that you gain valuable and accurate knowledge.
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