Research Skills needed in 2008

ELearn had an interesting interview with Jane John, past president of the Association of Independent Information Professionals and founder of On Point Research, tells on how online instructors and students can be more successful at finding information online.

What are the skills one uses to do research?
The top skills needed to conduct good research are an ability to think broadly in order to frame the research goals, and an awareness of the many information sources, both free and paid, that might match those goals. The skills used by independent information professionals—people making a business by doing research for hire—are marketing and business skills, not only the basic research and information skills.

What research skills do you believe students need to be successful?
Probably the most critical research skill for students to develop is the ability to evaluate the information they find online. There is so much information available that a student can retrieve doing a basic keyword search on a Web browser or in a library catalog. But while some of it is highly accurate and high quality, other information can be incorrect, partial, or old.


If it is statistical data, does it come from a reputable publisher or organization? Is it from the original source, or has it just been repeated and "passed off" as new? Are the views and opinions expressed in a report balanced—or does the writing present just one side of an issue? How recent is the information? As students go deeper into researching a topic, they also need to cultivate the skill of also seeing the big picture-synthesizing disparate trends or data, bringing in observations from other fields.

What research skills to you believe teachers need to be successful?
I tell my business clients to spend as much time on framing their question as they do on seeking the answer. (this is so true, the clearer you are in your mind on what you need, the easier it is for me to help you. svdw) Before jumping on the Web and punching keywords into Google or Yahoo, think carefully about why you want to find certain information, who else has a reason to want the same answers, and what you will do with the information you find.
Do you need historical information, the current state of affairs, or forecasts for the future? Do you need a scientific approach or a persuasive political view? How accurate does the information need to be? Is a major business decision or the ability to patent a new process dependent on the answer, or will a general idea be adequate?