Study Skills/Academic Research Masterclass

Masterclass

Outline

This masterclass is only available during the summer term

Students will be given the opportunity to be involved in research and will then be introduced to critical evaluation tasks that will enable them to provide nuanced search skills that will be vital when presenting Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ), assignments and reports.

With the help of keynote sessions from librarians and study skills staff, students will work in small groups in order to collaborate on a research task investigating an area of current interest that links with the taught curriculum and corresponding exam board (e.g. historiography). 

Throughout the day, students will engage with a variety of resources and will develop their research skills, including analytical thinking and critical evaluation, as well as furthering their knowledge of specialist databases and search strategies.

In the final summary, there will be discussions around how research and investigation are ever-evolving areas of academic development and how a core base of searching and evaluation skills are vital for both Further Education and to underpin information retrieval in future careers and in everyday life.

Key facts

Location
On campus
Duration
Half day
Capacity
20
Key Stage
Key Stage 5
Gatsby benchmarks
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
7. Encounters with further and higher education

Example programme

9:30 to 10.00  Welcome and keynote talks
Critical evaluation and research skills for Higher Education from librarians and study skills experts

10.00 to 11.00 Explorations of academic databases, ebooks and journals using keyword search strategies  
Using keywords, Boolean operators, search techniques and understanding where academic research and studies are to be found in the library and online

11.00 short break

11.15 to 12.00  (Team task) Collating the research and providing an interpretation and evaluation of the sources used in the research
Student will explain where they searched for information, what search strategies they used and evaluating the value and credibility of the sources utilised

12.00 to 12.30 Considerations for future research and study for both EPQ and Higher Education

 

in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021