improve research skills

What are Research Skills? How to Improve Your Skills in Research

Learn strategies and techniques to improve your research skills. Avoid common mistakes and implement proven methods for efficient research. This article offers practical tips to enhance your ability to find and evaluate high-quality information.

Are you struggling to find relevant and reliable information for your research? Do you want to avoid getting lost in a sea of sources and needing help knowing where to start? Improving your research skills is essential for academic success and professional growth.

In today's information age, effectively conducting research has become more important than ever. Whether you are a student, a professional, or simply someone who wants to stay informed, knowing how to find and evaluate information is crucial.

Fortunately, some strategies and techniques can help you improve your research skills and become a more efficient and effective researcher. By avoiding common mistakes and implementing proven methods, you can enhance your ability to find high-quality information and make the most of your research endeavors. This article will explore some practical tips and tricks to help you improve your research skills and achieve better results.

What is Research?

Research is a critical part of learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. It is an essential process used in every field for both the individual and collective’s mutual benefit and success. Research involves systematically gathering data from primary or secondary sources, analyzing it, interpreting it, and communicating its findings to researchers and other interested parties.

Research can be divided into two main categories: quantitative research, which uses numerical data to describe phenomena, and qualitative research, which seeks to understand people's beliefs, opinions, values, or behaviors. Quantitative research often involves applying model-based approaches that can predict outcomes based on observations. It is one of the most powerful methods of discovering information about the world, as it allows for testing hypotheses in a systematic manner. Qualitative research is more exploratory in nature by focusing on understanding the motivations behind what people do or think rather than developing models or producing statistics in order to conclude behavior and relationships between variables. This type of research usually relies more on observation and engagement with people instead of using statistical models.

What are Research Skills?

Research skills are the abilities and talents required to focus on an objective, gather the relevant data linked to it, analyze it using appropriate methods, and accurately communicate the results. Taking part in research indicates that you have acquired knowledge of your subject matter, have digested that knowledge, and processed, evaluated, and analyzed it until you can resolve a problem or answer a query. It is highly beneficial for employers to hire people with strong research skills since they can provide valuable insights and add value to the company’s performance. Therefore, researching effectively has become crucial to securing a job in most industries.

Why Do Research Skills Matter?

Research skills are essential if one intends to succeed in today's competitive world. With technology ever-evolving and a need to stay ahead of the competition, employees who possess research skills can prove invaluable to their employers. These skills include researching, analyzing, and interpreting data and making informed decisions based on that information.

Employers value workers who can quickly develop a thorough understanding of any changes or trends in their field of work through accurate research. Knowing how to assess customer needs, recognize competition, write reports, improve productivity, and advise on investments can also benefit any business. With the help of research skills, companies can uncover ways to adapt their services or products that better serve their customers’ needs while helping them save money at the same time. This makes overall operations more efficient as well as helps a company remain ahead of its competitors.

Essential Research Skills :

Here is a list of essential research skills:

Data Collection

Data collection is an important part of comprehending a certain topic and ensuring reliable information is collected while striving to answer complex questions. Every situation differs, but data collection typically includes surveys, interviews, observations, and existing document reviews. The data collected can be quantitative or qualitative, depending on the nature of the problem at hand. As students advance through university and other educational institutions, they will need to read extensively into a particular field and may even need to undertake comprehensive literature reviews to answer fundamental questions.

The skills acquired through data collection during university are invaluable for future roles and jobs. Gaining experience in understanding complex topics, reading widely on a given subject matter, collecting relevant data, and analyzing findings - all these activities are integral when dealing with any type of project within the corporate sector. Therefore, embarking on various research projects enhances a person's education level and brings about significant professional experience.

Goal-Setting

Setting goals is an important skill for any successful research project. It allows you to stay focused and motivated throughout the process. Goals are also essential in helping with direction: they provide a path to organize our thoughts, narrow our focus, and prioritize the tasks we need to undertake to achieve our desired result. The concept of goal-setting is inherent in most research processes, as everything needs to have something to strive for — whether that’s gaining knowledge about a particular topic or testing a theory.

When it comes to creating and setting goals during the research process, you must have clear and specific objectives in mind from the outset. Writing down your thoughts helps define these objectives, which can inform the data collection process; moreover, thinking about short-term and long-term goals can help you create manageable steps toward achieving them. Learning how to break up larger projects into smaller “mini-goals effectively” can make all the difference when tackling complex investigations — allowing researchers to monitor their progress more easily and culminate results further down the line.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is an integral part of the modern workplace. To succeed, one must be able to look at a situation objectively and make decisions based on evidence. The information examined needs to come from various sources, such as data collection, personal observation, or analysis. The goal should then be to take all this information and form a logical judgment that informs an action plan or idea.

Someone who displays strong critical thinking skills will not just accept proposed ideas at face value but instead can understand how these ideas can be applied and challenged. Accepting something without consideration means making the wrong decision due to a lack of thought. Critical thinkers understand how brainstorming works, assessing all elements before forming any decision. From negotiating with colleagues or customers in adversarial scenarios to analyzing complex documents such as legal contracts in order to review business agreements - critical dedicated apply their knowledge effectively and are able to back up their evaluation with evidence collected from multiple sources.

Observation Skills

Observation skills are necessary for conducting any form of research, whether it be in the workplace or as part of an investigative process. It is important to be able to pick up on the details that might otherwise pass unnoticed, such as inconsistencies in data or irregularities in how something is presented, and to pay careful attention to regulations and procedures that govern the company or environment. This can help researchers to ensure their processes are accurate and reliable.

As well as analyzing what we see around us directly, many research methodologies often involve calculated statistical analyses and calculations. For this reason, it’s important to develop strong observation skills so that the legitimacy of information can be confirmed and checked before conclusions are formed. Improving this skill requires dedication and practice, which could include keeping a journal reflecting on experiences, posing yourself questions about what you have observed, and seeking out opportunities in unfamiliar settings to test your observations.

Detail Orientation

Detail orientation is an important research skill for any scientific endeavor. It allows one to assess a situation or problem in minute detail and make appropriate judgments based on the information gathered. A detail-oriented thinker can easily spot errors, inconsistencies, and vital pieces of evidence, which can help lead to accurate conclusions from the research. Additionally, this skill allows someone to evaluate the quality and accuracy of data recorded during an experiment or project more efficiently to ensure validity.

Spotting small mistakes that may otherwise have been overlooked is a crucial part of conducting detailed research that must be perfected. Individuals aiming for superior outcomes should strive to develop their skill at detecting details by practicing critical analysis techniques, such as breaking down large bodies of information into smaller tasks to identify finer points quickly. Moreover, encouragement should also be made for elaborate comparison and analysis between different pieces of information when solving a complex problem, as it can help provide better insights into problems accurately.

Investigative Skills

Investigative skills are an essential component when it comes to gathering and analyzing data. In a professional setting, it is important to determine the accuracy and validity of different sources of information before making any decisions or articulating ideas. Generally, effective investigation requires collecting different sets of reliable data, such as surveys and interviews with stakeholders, employees, customers, etc. For example, if a company internally assesses possible challenges within its business operations environment, it would need to conduct more profound research involving talking to relevant stakeholders who could provide critical perspectives about the situation.

Data-gathering techniques such as comparison shopping and regulatory reviews have become more commonplace in the industry as people strive for greater transparency and more accurate results. Knowing how to identify reliable sources of information can give individuals a competitive advantage and allow them to make sound decisions based on accurate data. Investing time in learning different investigative skills can help recruiters spot applicants dedicated to acquiring knowledge in this field. Developing these investigative skills is also valuable for those looking for executive positions or starting their own business. By familiarizing themselves with their application process, people can become adept at collecting high-quality data they may use in their research endeavors.

Time Management

Time management is a key skill for any researcher. It's essential to be able to allocate time between different activities so you can effectively plan and structure your research projects. Without good time management, you may find yourself hastily completing tasks or feeling stressed out as you rush to complete an analysis. Ultimately, managing your time allows you to stay productive and ensure that each project is completed with the highest results.

Good time management requires various skills such as planning ahead, prioritizing tasks, breaking down large projects into smaller steps, and even delegating some activities when possible. It also means setting realistic goals for yourself in terms of the amount of research that can be achieved in certain timestamps and learning how to adjust these goals when needed. Becoming mindful of how you spend the same hours each day will propel your productivity and see positive results from your efforts. Time management becomes especially relevant regarding data collection and analysis – it is crucial to understand precisely what kind of resources are needed for each task before diving into the research itself. Knowing how much time should be dedicated to each step is essential for meeting deadlines while still retaining accuracy in the final outcomes of one’s study.

Tips on How to Improve Your Research Skills

Below are some tips that can help in improving your skills in research:

Initiate your project with a structured outline

When embarking on any research project, creating an outline and scope document must first ensure that you remain on the right track. An outline sets expectations for your project by forming a detailed strategy for researching the topic and gathering the necessary data to conclude. It will help you stay organized and break down large projects into more manageable parts. This can help prevent procrastination as each part of the project has its own timeline, making it easier to prioritize tasks accordingly.

Using an outline and scope document also allows for better structure when conducting research or interviews, as it guides which sources are most relevant, what questions need to be answered, and how information should be collected or presented. This ensures that all information received through research or interviews stays within the confines of the chosen topic of investigation. Additionally, it ensures that no important details are overlooked while minimizing the chance that extraneous information gets included in your results. Taking this time upfront prevents potential problems during analysis or reporting of findings later.

Acquire expertise in advanced data collection methods

When it comes to collecting data for research purposes, a range of advanced data collection techniques can be used to maximize your efficiency and accuracy. One such technique is customizing your online search results with advanced search settings. By adding quotation marks and wildcard characters to the terms you are searching for, you are more likely to find the information you need from reliable sources. This can be especially useful if, for instance, you are looking for exact quotes or phrases. Different search engines require different advanced techniques and tactics, so learning these can help you get more specific results from your research endeavors.

Aside from using online searches, another standard methodology when conducting research is accessing primary information through libraries or other public sources. A specific classification system will likely be in place that can help researchers locate the materials needed quickly and easily. Knowing and understanding this system allows one to access information much more efficiently while also giving them ample opportunity to increase their knowledge of various topics by browsing related content in the same category groups. Thus, by learning about advanced data collection techniques for both online and offline sources, researchers can make substantial progress in their studies more efficiently.

Validate and examine the reliability of your data sources

Collecting reliable information for research can be a challenge, especially when relying on online sources. It is essential to remember that not all sources are created equal, and some sites may contain false or inaccurate data. It is, therefore important to verify and analyze the data before using it as part of your research.

One way to start verifying and analyzing your sources is to cross-reference material from one source with another. This may help you determine if particular facts or claims are accurate and, therefore, more valid than others. Additionally, trace where the data is coming from by looking at the author or organization behind it so that you can assess their expertise in a particular field and authority on the topic at hand. Once these steps have been completed, you can confidently use this trusted information for your project.

Structure your research materials

Organizing your research materials is an integral part of any research process. When you’re conducting a project or study and trying to find the most relevant information, you can become overwhelmed with all the data available. It’s important to separate valid from invalid materials and to categorize research materials by subject for easy access later on. Bookmarking websites on a computer or using a digital asset management tool are two effective methods for organizing research information.

When researching, it’s critical to remember that some sources have limited value and may be outside the scope of your topic. Recognizing reliable material versus trustworthy resources can be complex in this sea of information. However, sorting data into appropriate categories can help narrow down what is necessary for producing valid conclusions. This method of classifying information helps ensure that vital documents aren't overlooked during the organization process as they are placed in folders shortcutted for quick access within one centralized source whenever needed. Separating valuable sources also makes it easier to reference later on when writing reports or giving presentations - material won't get lost among irrelevant data, and conclusions will be backed by sound evidence.

Enhance your research and communication capabilities

Developing research and communication skills is essential for succeeding academically and professionally in the modern world. The key to improving these skills lies in rigorous practice, which can begin with small projects such as resolving common issues or completing a research task that can be made into a personal project. One way to do this is to volunteer for research projects at work and gain experience under the guidance of experienced researchers. This will improve your research skills and help you develop communication skills when working with others on the project. Another option is to turn a personal project into a research task. For example, if you plan on taking a holiday soon, you could create an objective method to select the best destination by conducting online research on destinations and making informed decisions based on thorough analysis. Practicing in this way enables you to complete any research task confidently and communicate efficiently with ease.

How to Articulate Research Skills on Your Resume

Research projects require commitment and perseverance, making it an important skill to include on a resume. Even if you have had limited research experience throughout your education or previous job, including this in your resume assesses these qualities to potential employers. It's important to consider the extent of your research experience when deciding how to add this part of your background to your resume. If you have been involved with multiple in-depth research projects, it might be best to highlight this by including it as its own section. On the other hand, if the amount of research you have completed is more limited, then try including it in the skills section instead.

When adding research experience and accomplishments into either section of your resume, be sure to emphasize any specific roles or contributions you made during the process instead of just describing the project itself. Furthermore, remember to quantify any successes where possible - this showcases both communication and technical proficiency strengths, which can help make your resume stand out even more. By properly articulating research skills within a resume, employers will likely be more interested in what job seekers have accomplished in their careers.

How to Apply Research Skills Effectively in Your Workplace

Research skills are an invaluable set of abilities to bring to your workplace. To make sure you use them properly, a good place to start is by taking time to plan the project you have been assigned. Whether it’s writing a report or analyzing data, mapping out what tasks you need to do and how long they should take helps to understand the project timeline better. This also makes setting aside dedicated time for research easier too.

To ensure that the decisions made are sound and informed, reading up on the subject area related to the project remains one of the premier ways of doing this. This will help to ensure that any problems arising can be solved quickly and effectively, as well as provide answers before any decisions are actually put into practice. By arming yourself with knowledge gathered through reading about a particular topic, it can give you more confidence when formulating plans or strategies in which direction to take your work in.

Final Thoughts

Research skills are increasingly important in the modern world, and gaining proficiency in this area can significantly benefit a person's career. Research skills are essential for success in many different roles and fields, including those within business and industry, education, science, and medicine. Developing a deep understanding of research allows us to identify problems better and critically evaluate potential solutions. It also bolsters our problem-solving abilities as we work to find creative solutions that meet our efforts' objectives.

By improving your research capabilities, you can impress employers during an application process or when joining a team at work. Research skills are considered soft skills by potential employers since they signal that you have attention to detail while simultaneously demonstrating your ability to learn new things quickly. Employers regard these skills highly, making them one of the key graduate career skills recruiters seek. Furthermore, being able to add ‘research skills’ to your CV will be looked upon favorably by employers and help drive up your employability significantly. Demonstrating that you possess these sought-after traits makes it easier for recruiters to give you the opportunity you've been looking for, so it's worth investing the time into developing these life-long learning tools today.

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What Are Research Skills, and How You Can Improve Them

• Posted on March 9, 2022

Original research is an arduous task, no matter how you slice it. Conducting extensive research and collecting relevant information for an original idea is complicated. It involves much more than just reading several recently published papers.

Good research will help you develop a data collection that provides accurate and relevant information to your topic. So, is research a skill that you can develop and improve? What are research skills?

Research skills are the abilities and techniques needed to conduct research. This includes finding and assessing information and properly citing all research. Research skills are fundamental to academic success, and the more you practice, the better you will become.

Research Skills vs. Research Methods

Some people use the terms research skills and research methods interchangeably. Although they relate closely, they are different.

Research skills are a part of the process, but they also take a lot of time to master. Research methods are what you use during the research stages.

For example, one research method may be a literature review. Research skills would involve learning how to conduct the best possible literature review.

You can practice research skills and improve your speed, accuracy, and reliability. Critical thinking, project management, effective note-taking, and time management are great examples of research skills.

How To Improve Your Research Skills

Conducting high-quality research requires mastering several skills. Some of the best skills for good academic research come with practice and experience. You can improve your research skills by using outlines, sources and practicing.

Use Outlines to Your Advantage

An outline is a great way to keep yourself organized and on topic. By paying close attention to the outline you craft, you set yourself up to conduct good research that lends itself to a well-written paper. After all, an outline makes it easier to write your first draft, and a structured approach will improve your writing.

Before you even begin your research, outline what you need to do to complete your paper on time. Start with an introduction, add your first point and then supporting evidence, a second point with its supporting evidence, and then a third, fourth, or fifth, depending on how in-depth your paper will be. The last step will be your conclusion or a summary of your content.

Often outlining will give you ideas for research methods that you may not have considered before. Data collection can be challenging, but devising an outline can make the process much easier.

Because an outline allows you to think about all the topics you need to cover in your paper, you’ll be better prepared when you begin researching.

Dig Into Your Sources

It’s daunting to determine relevant information, especially if it’s a topic that you’re not knowledgeable about. It’s important to know when your sources are reliable for academic research . It’s also imperative to use different sources when finding relevant information, or you may display a bias. This also helps you avoid plagiarism by relying on multiple points of reference.

For example, you should know that an article published in a peer-reviewed journal will be more reliable than an article found on Wikipedia. Wikipedia, though often sourced, is open to be edited by anyone. The sources supplied themselves are not always credible, as the organization largely relies on unpaid editors to donate time to review articles.

A peer-reviewed journal will be fact-checked multiple times, demonstrate a history of credibility, and use reputable sources to support any arguments or claims.

Your sources should also answer the question that you are trying to ask. You should perform a light critical analysis of your source materials to determine their value. This requires investigative thinking and research itself. You need to discover:

• Who wrote the source?
• What was their agenda?
• Who sponsored the publication, if anyone?
• What was the agenda of the publisher?
• Does the publisher have a notable bias?
• Does the author have a notable bias?
• What year was the material published, and has it become outdated?

Try Advanced Search Techniques

Google and other search engines aren’t the only way to find information for your research paper. Library resources offer a wealth of services and tools, such as full-text journals and databases. Your local university library is another excellent place to start.

Often, librarians will be able to assist you with your research and can help you utilize advanced research methods you may not have thought of. They can direct you to the correct database and demonstrate how to best use it to find information about your subject. They may know of specific journals or other literature that could be a good starting point to get your footing.

During your research process, seek a different point of view and new ways to find reliable sources for your paper. When you rely on a single viewpoint or only one credible source, you not only develop a bias by showing just one side of your topic, but you run the risk of plagiarism. Where will your source’s argument end and yours begin? It may appear that you’re simply copying someone else’s hard work.

Practice Makes Perfect

Research isn’t a skill that people learn overnight. But you’d be surprised how fast these skills develop every time you conduct research. Once you get used to collecting data from reliable sources, you can become a master at it by learning from your own research paper mistakes.

One of the most overlooked aspects of research is a person’s time management skills. Those who wait until the last minute to start research run the risk of not finding adequate sources and producing a sub-par product. By giving yourself extra time, especially as you develop your research skills, you allow yourself to thoroughly investigate your sources, find appropriate support for your arguments, and develop a conclusion based on research, rather than trying to scramble to find research to support a specific conclusion.

6 Steps for Conducting Research

Conducting research isn’t easy, and many people find it frustrating. It can be like solving a puzzle to uncover the best information about the topic you’re researching. Here are 5 steps to help with your research strategy.

• Clearly define your research question. Precisely formulate your question so you know exactly which information sources are relevant to your research. This will save you lots of time.
• Draft a solid outline. Put your research question at the top of the document, then write out each of your supporting points or arguments. Include a few thoughts that go with each of those points.
• Determine the research methods you’ll use. Depending on the type of research paper you’re writing, you may need primary or secondary research. Your research will likely be either qualitative, quantitative, descriptive, or experimental.
• Find data from reliable sources. Make sure your resources are reliable by looking for things like the date of publication, author credentials, and publisher.
• Focus on your note-taking. Take detailed notes in whatever format you’re most comfortable with, whether that’s on your computer, tablet, or by hand in your notebook or on index cards.
• Draft your research paper. Combine your notes with a solid outline, and put it all together. Don’t forget to cite all of your sources . Give your paper a final review, then you’re done!

Final Thoughts

Conducting research can be a frustrating assignment. Here is the good news: the above steps and tools will make research report writing more effective.

By clearly defining your research question, determining the type of research methods you’ll use, and finding data from reliable sources, you’ll be on your way to conducting successful research.

Your last steps should be using a plagiarism detector and a citation generator, to double-check your work. Quetext is an online plagiarism checker with a built citation generator, so you can easily cite everything that you read.

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Empowering students to develop research skills

February 8, 2021

This post is republished from   Into Practice ,  a biweekly communication of Harvard’s  Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning

Terence D. Capellini, Richard B Wolf Associate Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology, empowers students to grow as researchers in his Building the Human Body course through a comprehensive, course-long collaborative project that works to understand the changes in the genome that make the human skeleton unique. For instance, of the many types of projects, some focus on the genetic basis of why human beings walk on two legs. This integrative “Evo-Devo” project demands high levels of understanding of biology and genetics that students gain in the first half of class, which is then applied hands-on in the second half of class. Students work in teams of 2-3 to collect their own morphology data by measuring skeletons at the Harvard Museum of Natural History and leverage statistics to understand patterns in their data. They then collect and analyze DNA sequences from humans and other animals to identify the DNA changes that may encode morphology. Throughout this course, students go from sometimes having “limited experience in genetics and/or morphology” to conducting their own independent research. This project culminates in a team presentation and a final research paper.

The benefits: Students develop the methodological skills required to collect and analyze morphological data. Using the UCSC Genome browser  and other tools, students sharpen their analytical skills to visualize genomics data and pinpoint meaningful genetic changes. Conducting this work in teams means students develop collaborative skills that model academic biology labs outside class, and some student projects have contributed to published papers in the field. “Every year, I have one student, if not two, join my lab to work on projects developed from class to try to get them published.”

“The beauty of this class is that the students are asking a question that’s never been asked before and they’re actually collecting data to get at an answer.”

The challenges:  Capellini observes that the most common challenge faced by students in the course is when “they have a really terrific question they want to explore, but the necessary background information is simply lacking. It is simply amazing how little we do know about human development, despite its hundreds of years of study.” Sometimes, for instance, students want to learn about the evolution, development, and genetics of a certain body part, but it is still somewhat a mystery to the field. In these cases, the teaching team (including co-instructor Dr. Neil Roach) tries to find datasets that are maximally relevant to the questions the students want to explore. Capellini also notes that the work in his class is demanding and hard, just by the nature of the work, but students “always step up and perform” and the teaching team does their best to “make it fun” and ensure they nurture students’ curiosities and questions.

Takeaways and best practices

• Incorporate previous students’ work into the course. Capellini intentionally discusses findings from previous student groups in lectures. “They’re developing real findings and we share that when we explain the project for the next groups.” Capellini also invites students to share their own progress and findings as part of class discussion, which helps them participate as independent researchers and receive feedback from their peers.
• Assign groups intentionally.  Maintaining flexibility allows the teaching team to be more responsive to students’ various needs and interests. Capellini will often place graduate students by themselves to enhance their workload and give them training directly relevant to their future thesis work. Undergraduates are able to self-select into groups or can be assigned based on shared interests. “If two people are enthusiastic about examining the knee, for instance, we’ll match them together.”
• Consider using multiple types of assessments.  Capellini notes that exams and quizzes are administered in the first half of the course and scaffolded so that students can practice the skills they need to successfully apply course material in the final project. “Lots of the initial examples are hypothetical,” he explains, even grounded in fiction and pop culture references, “but [students] have to eventually apply the skills they learned in addressing the hypothetical example to their own real example and the data they generate” for the Evo-Devo project. This is coupled with a paper and a presentation treated like a conference talk.

Bottom line:  Capellini’s top advice for professors looking to help their own students grow as researchers is to ensure research projects are designed with intentionality and fully integrated into the syllabus. “You can’t simply tack it on at the end,” he underscores. “If you want this research project to be a substantive learning opportunity, it has to happen from Day 1.” That includes carving out time in class for students to work on it and make the connections they need to conduct research. “Listen to your students and learn about them personally” so you can tap into what they’re excited about. Have some fun in the course, and they’ll be motivated to do the work.

What are research skills?

Last updated

26 April 2023

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Broadly, it includes a range of talents required to:

Find useful information

Perform critical analysis

Form hypotheses

Solve problems

It also includes processes such as time management, communication, and reporting skills to achieve those ends.

Research requires a blend of conceptual and detail-oriented modes of thinking. It tests one's ability to transition between subjective motivations and objective assessments to ensure only correct data fits into a meaningfully useful framework.

As countless fields increasingly rely on data management and analysis, polishing your research skills is an important, near-universal way to improve your potential of getting hired and advancing in your career.

Make research less tedious

Dovetail streamlines research to help you uncover and share actionable insights

What are basic research skills?

Almost any research involves some proportion of the following fundamental skills:

Organization

Decision-making

Investigation and analysis

Creative thinking

What are primary research skills?

The following are some of the most universally important research skills that will help you in a wide range of positions:

Time management — From planning and organization to task prioritization and deadline management, time-management skills are highly in-demand workplace skills.

Problem-solving — Identifying issues, their causes, and key solutions are another essential suite of research skills.

Critical thinking — The ability to make connections between data points with clear reasoning is essential to navigate data and extract what's useful towards the original objective.

Communication — In any collaborative environment, team-building and active listening will help researchers convey findings more effectively through data summarizations and report writing.

What are the most important skills in research?

Detail-oriented procedures are essential to research, which allow researchers and their audience to probe deeper into a subject and make connections they otherwise may have missed with generic overviews.

Maintaining priorities is also essential so that details fit within an overarching strategy. Lastly, decision-making is crucial because that's the only way research is translated into meaningful action.

• Why are research skills important?

Good research skills are crucial to learning more about a subject, then using that knowledge to improve an organization's capabilities. Synthesizing that research and conveying it clearly is also important, as employees seek to share useful insights and inspire effective actions.

Effective research skills are essential for those seeking to:

Analyze their target market

Investigate industry trends

Identify customer needs

Detect obstacles

Find solutions to those obstacles

Develop new products or services

Develop new, adaptive ways to meet demands

Discover more efficient ways of acquiring or using resources

Why do we need research skills?

Businesses and individuals alike need research skills to clarify their role in the marketplace, which of course, requires clarity on the market in which they function in. High-quality research helps people stay better prepared for challenges by identifying key factors involved in their day-to-day operations, along with those that might play a significant role in future goals.

• Benefits of having research skills

Research skills increase the effectiveness of any role that's dependent on information. Both individually and organization-wide, good research simplifies what can otherwise be unwieldy amounts of data. It can help maintain order by organizing information and improving efficiency, both of which set the stage for improved revenue growth.

Those with highly effective research skills can help reveal both:

Opportunities for improvement

Brand-new or previously unseen opportunities

Research skills can then help identify how to best take advantage of available opportunities. With today's increasingly data-driven economy, it will also increase your potential of getting hired and help position organizations as thought leaders in their marketplace.

• Research skills examples

Being necessarily broad, research skills encompass many sub-categories of skillsets required to extrapolate meaning and direction from dense informational resources. Identifying, interpreting, and applying research are several such subcategories—but to be specific, workplaces of almost any type have some need of:

Searching for information

Attention to detail

Taking notes

Problem-solving

Communicating results

Time management

• How to improve your research skills

Whether your research goals are to learn more about a subject or enhance workflows, you can improve research skills with this failsafe, four-step strategy:

Make an outline, and set your intention(s)

Know your sources

Learn to use advanced search techniques

Practice, practice, practice (and don't be afraid to adjust your approach)

These steps could manifest themselves in many ways, but what's most important is that it results in measurable progress toward the original goals that compelled you to research a subject.

• Using research skills at work

Different research skills will be emphasized over others, depending on the nature of your trade. To use research most effectively, concentrate on improving research skills most relevant to your position—or, if working solo, the skills most likely have the strongest impact on your goals.

You might divide the necessary research skills into categories for short, medium, and long-term goals or according to each activity your position requires. That way, when a challenge arises in your workflow, it's clearer which specific research skill requires dedicated attention.

How can I learn research skills?

Learning research skills can be done with a simple three-point framework:

Clarify the objective — Before delving into potentially overwhelming amounts of data, take a moment to define the purpose of your research. If at any point you lose sight of the original objective, take another moment to ask how you could adjust your approach to better fit the original objective.

Scrutinize sources — Cross-reference data with other sources, paying close attention to each author's credentials and motivations.

Organize research — Establish and continually refine a data-organization system that works for you. This could be an index of resources or compiling data under different categories designed for easy access.

Which careers require research skills?

Especially in today's world, most careers require some, if not extensive, research. Developers, marketers, and others dealing in primarily digital properties especially require extensive research skills—but it's just as important in building and manufacturing industries, where research is crucial to construct products correctly and safely.

Engineering, legal, medical, and literally any other specialized field will require excellent research skills. Truly, almost any career path will involve some level of research skills; and even those requiring only minimal research skills will at least require research to find and compare open positions in the first place.

Should you be using a customer insights hub?

Do you want to discover previous research faster?

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Start for free today, add your research, and get to key insights faster

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Home › Study Tips › 11 Tips to Improve Your Research Skills for Academic Success

11 Tips to Improve Your Research Skills for Academic Success

• Published May 24, 2024

Strong research skills are a must-have skill for academic success. Why are research skills important?

They’re essential for academic success. You need them for all term papers, research reports, and assignments. These skills also help to deepen your understanding of all the topics in your curriculum. 

By design, research questions are not answerable by simple Google searches. They require planning, hypothesis evaluation, data or information analysis, critical thinking, information synthesis, logical and well-thought-out presentation, and more.

With these skills, you can produce credible, logical, accurate, and plagiarism-free research efficiently and promptly. 

Moreover, being a skilled researcher is not only necessary for academic success. It is a lifelong competency that would remain helpful in your future career and personal life. 

Some tips you can adopt to improve your research skills include understanding the research process, using library resources, effectively searching the internet, adopting proper citation and referencing, developing your analytical skills, managing time efficiently, utilising academic support services, enhancing your note-taking capabilities, using primary sources only, and avoiding confirmation bias. 

Below, we examine these strategies to help you improve your research skills. 

1. Always Create a Research Strategy Document

Think of strategy as a roadmap highlighting how you want to attack the research problem. We believe creating a strategy before diving knee-deep into research provides clarity and saves you time.

Some of the constituents of the strategy document include:

• Research goals
• Research deadline
• Rewriting the research problem the way you understand it, in your own words and simple terms. Then, translate the research problem into a research question. “HR managers are struggling to attract and keep top talent with top talent spending an average of 6 months in each role” is an example of a research problem, while “What strategies and techniques can HR managers adopt to better attract and retain top talents?” is an example of a research question.  
• Outline the major outcomes the research must fulfil. For example, “The research must provide a nexus between company actions and top talent loyalty, in addition to providing actionable tips for HR managers.”  
• Identify the type of research you’re doing. There are three categories of research: basic vs applied, exploratory vs explanatory, and inductive vs deductive research. 
• Findings from preliminary research. We recommend quick preliminary research to see the resources, including scholarly knowledge, readily available in the public domain. This step can help identify a new angle to pursue your research from or drop if you reckon other researchers and authors have adequately dealt with the question, preventing you from wasting time and resources on research that adds no additional value to the body of existing knowledge. 

2. Understand the Research Process

The research process consists of six major stages, including topic selection, literature evaluation, refining the research topic, relevant information gathering (could also include sampling and recruitment, depending on the topic or research focus), data analysis, and knitting everything together. 

Topic Selection

Sometimes, your tutor may provide the research topic. However, you’ll likely need to work with your supervisor to choose a topic for your thesis and undergrad projects. 

For your choice of research topic, it’s imperative to think of your current interests and future ambitions. 

Beyond top grades, your undergrad research may serve as evidence of your interest in a particular area and be helpful for future academic and career progression. 

Every research topic or question starts from a broad problem statement, which you can then fine-tune after exploring the existing body of knowledge in that field. 

Overall, a great topic has the following characteristics:

• Focused on a single issue. However, you may subdivide the issue into several interconnected but related problem statements.
• Researchable with credible sources. For example, requiring proprietary data that is not readily available may seriously hamper your success. 
• Feasible and specific. Additionally, ensure that you have adequate time and resources to complete the study before the due date. 
• Avoids value judgement questions like “Is vitamin D better than magnesium in treating bone issues?”
• Not close-ended such that the answer is a simple yes or no. The lack of clear answers provides room for robust investigation and is where your arguments shine. 
• The answer to your question should not be readily available. It must require rigorous work and iterative problem-solving to complete. 
• The topic must be original and address a relevant industry or niche problem. Originality doesn’t mean other researchers haven’t attempted something similar but that you’re presenting a new angle. 

Literature Review

The goals of conducting the literature review include:

• To ensure other researchers haven’t answered the research question before and that the study will contribute significant value to the existing body of knowledge.
• To identify gaps in existing works and determine how your project will fill that gap. In essence, the research must considerably add to existing knowledge or improve on earlier methodologies. Without meeting these standards, most research journals will not accept your work. 
• The third goal is to help you evaluate the research methods, research design, data sources, and key concepts other researchers adopted for their work. 

A literature review is a lot of work and requires scouring through numerous academic journals, books, and online publications. 

You can leverage AI tools like Elicit AI, Research Rabbit, Semantic Scholar, and Connected Papers to find papers, summarise studies, conduct citation-based mapping, find similar research papers, and more. 

Refine Research Topic

Armed with more information, context, potential data sources, availability of reliable and credible data, and the scope of work required from your literature review, you often need to refine your topic. 

For example, your research question may be too narrow if you find very few credible papers and books on the subject. Your research topic could also be suffering from being too broad. 

You can finetune a broad project topic by asking the why, what, who, where, and when questions. 

Which group of people are you targeting for the research? What geographic location would the study be limited to? Why do you think the research is relevant? What period would you limit the research to?

For example, “What will be the impact of climate change in the United Kingdom?” is quite broad. What kind of impact are we talking about? Economic? Migration? Health? 

A more specific variant of the question would be: “How will climate change affect net migration between the UK coastline and major cities in the next 20 years?” 

Data Gathering

Collecting data is the heart of the research process. This step allows you to gather variables essential for reaching conclusions. Depending on your research question, these variables can either be qualitative (non-numerical) or quantitative (numerical). 

You may gather data through one or more of the following methods:

Surveys are a series of questions used to extract specific data from a sample of the target population. When running surveys, you should take note of the following:

• Sample size: Ensure the number of participants adequately represents the population. 
• Bias: Ensure the questions do not tilt respondents in a particular direction or the sampling is not based on subjective measures. For example, assuming the age of shoppers who walk into a store can lead to bias. 
• Ambiguity and clarity: Avoid ambiguous questions that are prone to personal interpretation. “Do you drink plenty of alcohol during the week?” is subjective because the answer depends on who you ask. 
• Resource management: The larger the sample size, the more expensive and time-consuming the survey process is. 

Experiments

Experiments will be your go-to research method if you’re in any natural and physical sciences programme. It’s easier to establish a cause-and-effect relationship with experiments than with surveys. 

A typical example of an experiment involves splitting test subjects into a control and an experimental group. The researchers then give the latter group a medicine, drug, or treatment or subject them to changes. 

The researchers then evaluate the two groups for a specific variable. If the variable varies significantly, then suffice it to say that the changes made to the experimental group are responsible for the significant differences in the observed variable. 

Observational Studies

Observational studies are more popular in social sciences for obvious reasons. They involve going to the field to observe the attitudes and behaviours of a specific group in the natural habitat. 

Observational studies may either be participant observation or nonparticipant observation. The former involves the researcher staying in the same habit as the group they’re observing, while the latter is the reverse. 

Participant observation may influence how the target population acts. So, it’s imperative to conduct the study such that your presence is not disruptive to the data collection process. 

Existing Data

In every sector or industry, there’s existing data that can help with your research. Need economic activity data on the UK? The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is perhaps the most credible primary source on the subject matter. 

What about data on the UK environment? The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs data services platform (DSP) is your best bet. 

Beyond facts and figures, court records, medical records (without personally identifiable information), and police interview tapes can also be excellent sources of information. 

Data Analysis

You have gathered all the data you need to answer your research question. Now, this is where you begin to look for clues, determine relationships between variables, establish trends, find patterns, and more. 

For numerical variables, you’ll need complex statistical techniques to extract insights from the data. Tools like Statistical Analysis System (SAS), R, Python, MS Excel, and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) can help with quantitative data analysis. 

Some tools can help with most qualitative methodological techniques. Examples of these tools include nVivo and ATLAS.ti. It’s imperative to note that while these tools are helpful, you’ll need to put on your sound critical thinking cap to ensure your analysis is accurate. 

Result Discussion

The data analysis above will provide evidence to prove or disprove your hypothesis or question. The discussion section helps you convey these results in a deeper conversation. 

What results do you have? What are the implications of such results? How relevant are the results from both a statistical point of view and practical applications? 

These and many more questions are the answers this section should provide. Furthermore, share the limitations of your research and potential avenues for further exploration. 

If there’s any additional tip we would leave you with here is to stay with the facts and provide your findings in context with previous studies. Doing this strengthens your argument and makes your research more credible and citable. 

3. Use Library Resources

Librarians curate only authoritative and credible sources. These sources include books, journals, and databases. 

Another benefit of using library resources is that they are organised, making it easy for you to find the resources you need. 

As a college student, you should never pay out of pocket for any resource. Your school library probably already provides access to that resource. If not, you can make a request, and it’ll most likely be granted. 

So, what kind of resources are available?

• A searchable library catalogue tool, basically a search engine for academic sources
• Access to third-party databases
• Extensive collection of e-books
• Access to conference papers, newspaper articles, and other credible publications
• Subject Librarian to help you with resources not in the library catalogue
• Reference management tools and resources on how to use them

Tips to Search Databases

• Use the truncation symbol (*) and the wildcard symbol (?) to broaden your search to ensure you do not miss out on relevant results due to spelling or plural versions. For example, “agricultur*” will provide search results that include the following words: agriculture, agricultural, and agriculturalist. “Lab?r” will search for resources with both “labor” and “labour” in them. 
• Use boolean operators. We discuss this extensively below. The same principles apply here. 
• Use inverted commas to search for a specific phrase together. We also explain this below. 
• Leverage proximity search: This tells the database to return results that have words within certain distances from each other. For example, typing “labour same union” on Web of Science returns publications with “labour” and “union” in the same sentence. Typing “labour union ~4” on JSTOR retrieves records where “labour” and “union” are only separated by four words. 
• Combine the methods above to create more sophisticated search queries.

4. Effective Internet Research

The internet is a treasure trove of information and resources. That said, you must be cautious of every page on the internet, especially in the age of AI content. 

Every source for a research project must be up-to-date, factual, unbiased, and from a credible source. True story: we’ve seen students quote data from satirical publications. 

Moreover, most pages on the internet don’t go through a review process and may be rife with misinformation. 

Just because a page appears on number one of your search results doesn’t make it a great resource. The article author or publisher may just be great at search engine optimization. 

Assessing a Website’s Credibility and Accuracy

Many people create websites to make money. While some provide some measure of value, others simply do not care. 

Moreover, some of these websites may present information from the owner or author’s bias. For the most part, it’s best to stick with non-academic resources provided by government agencies and reputable organisations. 

You can evaluate a website’s credibility by examining:

• The About Us page: Who or which group owns the website? What are their goals?
• The author bio: Who’s the author, and what’s their qualification and experience to authoritatively speak on the subject? You may do further Google and social media (LinkedIn in particular) investigations to assess the author’s qualifications. 
• Domain ownership: Use whois.net to track who owns a website. This information may or may not be available. 
• Articles dates and recency: Avoid undated websites and articles using dated facts to draw recent conclusions.  

Internet Search Techniques

Here are a few techniques to help you find relevant pages that answer your search queries. 

Use Inverted Commas

Search engines will treat each word in your search query as individual keywords without inverted commas. 

So, you may get web pages that only contain the term “anatomy” or only “heart” if you type heart anatomy without quotation marks.

However, encasing your keyword in quotation marks, like this: “heart anatomy” only returns results with the exact phrase, thus providing fewer web pages to examine. 

Boolean Operators

Boolean operators include AND, OR, and NOT. They can be a powerful way to hone in on the sources you need. 

Boolean Operators 

Example 

Search result includes web pages containing keywords joined by AND

“Traffic data” AND “London” 

Search result includes pages with one or all the keywords linked by OR

“Manager” OR “Coordinator” 

NOT or – 

Excludes web pages with a particular term from the search result. Helpful when a term skews your search results

-animal or “NOT animal”

Used to include a term that must be included in the results. Helpful for narrowing a broad search query

2024 United Kingdom Elections report +fraud +voting pattern

Brackets ()

Powerful for combining boolean operators. Helpful when a keyword also has a popular synonyms or alternative

Project (manager OR coordinator)

Site: 

Provide search results from the website you provide only. Helpful when searching a website like the ONS for data

site: https://www.ons.gov.uk/

Search Engine Tools

Search engines have additional tools to help you refine your search. Google, for example, has tools to limit the results to those published within a specified date range. 

You may also limit results to a particular file type, such as images, books, videos, and news. 

Use Different Search Engines

Each search engine has its own unique algorithms (set of rules to arrange web pages in search results). Trying a new search engine may just be the trick you need. 

Examples of other search engines to try include:

• www.duckduckgo.com
• www.bing.com
• www.ask.com

Use Google’s Advanced Search Tool

Google’s advanced search tool allows you to enter multiple parameters to refine your search. Behind the hood, the tool simplifies the use of boolean operators. Instead of typing boolean operators, you simply enter terms in textboxes. 

You can specify other parameters like the last time the authors updated the website, region to target, and language. 

5. Citation and referencing

Any idea, words, data, images, infographic, or information you take from any source requires a reference. Without citations, you’re practically stealing someone else’s ideas and thoughts. 

Many schools have strict rules against plagiarism, including formal warnings, suspension, admission withdrawal, and other penalties. 

Aside from helping you avoid plagiarism, citations also make your work more authoritative and persuasive. 

There are multiple referencing styles, including AMS (American Meteorological Society), APA (American Psychological Association), Chicago, Harvard, MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association), OSCOLA (Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities), and others. 

Your student handbook will usually provide which of the above styles your programme uses. 

Tips For Managing Citations and References

• Make a list of your references and cite them as you write.
• Add notes to each reference, highlighting the sections, paragraphs, and pages you’re most interested in.
• Be consistent with the reference style you use. 
• Familiarise yourself with the project’s reference style.
• Use referencing tools. Examples include EndNote, Zotero or Mendeley. Practice with the program to ensure you know the type of information required and where to input it.

6. Develop Analytical Skills

Per the Rockwell Career Centre, “ analytical skills are problem-solving skills that help you parse data and information to develop creative, rational solutions.”

Analytical skills are essential to every step of the research process, especially in objectively analysing the problem and the result of your experiments. 

Analytical skills require critical reasoning, understanding different concepts (including complex and abstract ones), explaining or articulating your thoughts, applying what you read to tackle problems, and much more. 

Strategies for analysing and synthesising information

1. gain foundational knowledge.

Nothing strengthens your ability to critically analyse the data you’ve gathered than having a solid grasp of the basic concepts in the area you’re investigating. 

For example, you can’t discuss recidivism without understanding the court and prison process.  

2. Create an information matrix

An information matrix is a table that helps organise your sources by major themes. Identifying key ideas from sources is an integral part of information synthesis. 

Here’s an example with five sources:

Theme 

Quality time

Words of affirmation

Acts of service

Physical touch

For each source, enter what they say about each major theme you identified. Leave the corresponding cell blank if a source is mute on a theme. 

Create a new row if any of the sources present a compelling key theme that aligns with your research. 

3. Summarise and Paraphrase the Original Source

Summarise and paraphrase important ideas and quotations you lift from sources. This primarily means presenting your original thoughts and interpretation of the content in the source. 

To paraphrase, you must understand the original source. So, this is good practice for information synthesis. If you’re struggling to paraphrase or summarise an idea, maybe you do not understand it yet. 

Doing this keeps quotes to a minimum, which can help you achieve better grades. Additionally, it promotes the use of your own voice more and to avoid plagiarism. 

4. Improve your comprehension skills

Some of the ways you can improve your comprehension skills include:

• Broadening your vocabulary often by reading widely and critically
• Recollecting the main points and critical details about the text from memory
• Reading in a distraction-free environment
• Slow down and embrace active reading. The Open University defines active reading as “ reading something with a determination to understand and evaluate it for its relevance to your needs.” This process involves highlighting key texts, raising questions, explaining the text to others, self-testing with flashcards or help from a colleague, and more. 
• Summarising and identifying key ideas

5. Identify the Context of Each Source

While two papers may speak about the same topic, they may approach the subject from totally opposite angles. This makes it hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison. Identifying the context helps you avoid this pitfall. 

7. Time Management in Research

Strategies and tips for effecting time management in research include:

1. Setting Realistic and Attainable Goals

Earlier, we mentioned how it’s imperative to choose a research topic that you can complete within the deadline provided by your tutor. Doing otherwise will only lead to poor time management. While you may complete the research, other areas may suffer. 

2. Fix Regular Schedule

Creating a schedule helps you devote ample time to the research daily. Consistent attention is better than last-minute rushes. A regular schedule helps avoid procrastination, interruptions, and lack of discipline.  

How many hours you commit daily will depend on your other commitments and the research deadline. It’s important to design your schedule such that you’ve completed your research report far ahead of the deadline. 

3. Incorporate Task Lists for Each Block of Time

Approach each block of time you schedule with a task list. Doing so helps you focus and prioritise important tasks. 

4. Avoid Multitasking

Focus on one task at a time and finish the same before doing something else. Multitasking is often unproductive and can be a source of stress when you fail to achieve anything noteworthy. 

5. Leverage Technology

Tools for project management, to-do lists, and calendar apps can help you implement the time management strategies shared above and help you stay organised.  

6. Ask For Help

Ask for help from your tutor, coursemates, and librarian whenever you’re stuck. Also, use the numerous free resources available to you. 

7. Take Breaks and Reward Yourself 

Bake breaks into your schedule to alleviate stress and ensure you operate optimally. Additionally, reward yourself for completing the tasks on your to-do lists. 

8. Utilise Academic Support Services

Most universities offer programs to help students achieve academic success, including those geared towards how to conduct research and improve research skills.  

If you’re unaware of the academic support services on offer, it’s important to ask. There’s no shame in asking for help. You’d be amazed at how much help these centres offer. 

One of the best ways to identify the areas you need to work on is to ask your tutor for feedback and help. 

Typical academic support services include:

• Writing guidance
• Peer tutoring
• After-school programmes
• Counselling
• Academic monitoring
• Experiential learning

9. Enhance Note-Taking Techniques

Note-taking is essential during research projects as it’s a vital tool for information synthesis. Note-taking helps you organise the points in the sources you’re reading. It also helps avoid being overwhelmed by the volume of resources you must review. 

Here are some tips to make note-taking fruitful:

1. Think Of Your Research Goals

Your research goals will determine what you prioritise during note-taking. There’s no point in extensive note-taking if the content doesn’t help you strengthen your arguments or answer your research question. 

2. Use Headings, Subheadings, and Numbered List to Organise Key Ideas

This is similar to the information matrix we discussed above. However, this is more like a fleshed-out version. Use indenting and numbering to create idea hierarchies that distinguish major points from minor ones.  

3. Adopt One of the Many Note-Taking Methods

Examples of note-taking methods include the mapping method, the Cornell Method, the sentence method, and the outlining method. Diving into each of these techniques is beyond the scope of this article.  

4. Use Colours and Symbols

Create a colour code for identifying themes and crucial sections. You may also underline important keywords or circle data points that buttress certain themes. These colours and symbols help simplify and visualise ideas. 

5. Create Linkages Between Ideas

Highlight ideas or variables that have clear relationships. The relationship can be causal or correlational. State what this relationship means for your research question. 

6. Leave Space For Future Comments And Questions

Leave room to add more information, such as comments, questions, and reactions. As you read more, you’re likely to come across new information that may challenge or buttress the ideas you found earlier. 

10. Engage with Primary Sources

You may find the answer to a search engine query in a news article or even a random article. It’s advisable and more prudent to search for the primary source. 

So the Guardian can publish details about digital imaging delays in the United Kingdom, but NHS England is the primary source of that information. You must cite the latter and not the former. 

The same applies to academic sources. A paper may make a statement and cite another author or study. You must track the other study to cite it as a separate source in your bibliography. 

One of the importance of using primary sources is the secondary source may have taken the information out of context or reported the same to fit a particular narrative. 

Reading the primary source yourself ensures you have all the contexts and the data as the primary authors presented it. 

11. Avoid Confirmation Bias 

Simply searching for papers and studies that align with your position is a limiting research strategy. 

We recommend seeking studies and sources that challenge your assertion. This is a far more enriching prospect that adds depth to your research. 

Research projects don’t necessarily have to be right or wrong but a means to provide informed arguments based on facts, logical reasoning, and strong analytical skills. 

Research studies enhance ongoing conversations, adding a new point of view to the existing body of knowledge. 

Master Research Skills for Successful Research Reports

Academic success at all levels require research skills that can translate any topic into detailed, coherent, logical, and credible reports, whether it’s quantitative or qualitative research. 

We believe the tips outlined in this article can transform your research skills, but it requires putting them into practice. 

Not only would your research skills take a leap, but other attending skills like comprehension, analytical, and how to tie information together would also improve. 

Additionally, you’ll master project management, time management, and reference management tools useful in other areas of your life. 

Do you want to dig deeper into these strategies through specialised 1-on-1 tutorials or group sessions? Immerse Education’s Online Research Programme is tailor-made for specific subject study and led by tutors from world-renowned Oxbridge and Ivy League universities.Moreover, our accredited Online Research Programme is an excellent choice for students aged 14-18 who want to improve their research skills while earning valuable UCAS points for university applications. Explore our accredited Online Research Programme today.

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10 Research Skills and How To Develop Them

• Updated December 25, 2023
• Published August 8, 2023

Are you looking to learn more about Research skills? In this article, we discuss Research skills in more detail and give you tips about how you can develop and improve them.

What are Research skills?

Research skills refer to the ability to effectively and efficiently gather, analyze, and synthesize information to answer questions, solve problems, or contribute to a body of knowledge. These skills are essential for various fields and disciplines, ranging from academic and scientific research to business, journalism, and beyond. Effective research skills involve several key components:

Information Retrieval

Source evaluation.

• Critical Thinking

Data Analysis

Problem formulation, organization and note-taking, synthesis and writing, ethical considerations, time management.

• Adaptability

Top 10 Research Skills

Below we discuss the top 10 Research skills. Each skill is discussed in more detail, and we will also give you tips on improving them.

Information Retrieval is all about mastering the art of finding relevant and credible sources of information to support your research goals. This skill involves using various online and offline tools to locate the data, articles, studies, and materials that are most pertinent to your research topic. It’s like being a detective for knowledge – you’re trying to uncover valuable insights that will contribute to your research project.

To excel in Information Retrieval, you must become adept at effectively using search engines, databases, libraries, and other resources. It’s not just about typing keywords into a search bar; it’s about understanding how to refine your searches, use advanced search operators, and explore different databases and sources.

You’ll need to evaluate the quality and reliability of sources to ensure that the information you gather is trustworthy and accurate. This skill also requires critical thinking, as you’ll need to assess the relevance of sources to your research objectives.

How to Improve Information Retrieval

Improving your Information Retrieval skills involves a combination of practice, strategy, and awareness. Start by familiarizing yourself with different research databases and libraries relevant to your field. Experiment with various search terms and use advanced search operators to narrow down results. Take the time to evaluate the credibility of sources – look for peer-reviewed articles, authoritative authors, and reliable institutions. Keep track of your searches and results to refine your strategies over time.

Stay updated with the latest developments in search technology and research databases to optimize your information retrieval process. Remember, the more you practice and fine-tune your approach, the better you’ll become at uncovering valuable gems of information for your research endeavors.

Source Evaluation is about becoming a discerning judge of the information you encounter during your research journey. It involves assessing the credibility, reliability, and relevance of the sources you come across, ensuring that you’re building your work on a foundation of trustworthy and accurate information. Think of yourself as a gatekeeper, using only the most reliable and relevant sources to support your research.

You need to develop a critical eye to enhance your Source Evaluation skills. Begin by examining the authorship – who wrote the source, and what are their credentials? Peer-reviewed articles from established researchers are more reliable than anonymous blog posts. Consider the publication source – is it a reputable journal or website in your field?

Next, look for citations and references within the source – a well-researched work will often cite other credible sources. Additionally, evaluate the publication date – while older sources can provide historical context, ensure you’re using recent information for up-to-date insights.

How to Improve Source Evaluation

Improving your Source Evaluation skills requires a combination of awareness and practice. As you encounter new sources, ask questions about their credibility and relevance. Do evidence and references support the information? Does the author have any potential biases? Take advantage of critical thinking to analyze the source’s overall quality.

To further refine your skills, seek guidance from mentors, professors, or librarians who can provide valuable insights into evaluating sources. The more you engage with this skill, the better you’ll become at building a solid foundation for your research with credible and reliable materials.

Critical Thinking is the intellectual toolset that empowers you to analyze information objectively, discern patterns, and draw well-informed conclusions based on evidence. It’s like being a detective for ideas – you sift through data, identify biases, and unravel complexities to make informed judgments that drive your research forward with clarity and precision.

To hone your Critical Thinking skills, you need to cultivate a curious and analytical mindset. Start by questioning assumptions and biases in both your own thinking and the information you encounter.

When evaluating sources, consider multiple viewpoints and sources of evidence before forming conclusions. Develop the ability to identify logical fallacies or weak arguments that may distort the validity of your findings. Embrace open-mindedness and be willing to adapt your ideas when faced with compelling evidence that challenges your initial perspective.

How to Improve Critical Thinking

Improving your Critical Thinking skills requires practice and deliberate effort. Engage in discussions and debates within your field and beyond to expose yourself to diverse perspectives and sharpen your ability to analyze complex issues. Regularly challenge yourself to critically evaluate information, whether it’s a news article, a research paper, or a colleague’s argument.

Seek feedback from mentors or peers to refine your critical thinking process and identify areas for improvement. Remember, Critical Thinking is an ongoing journey that can be developed over time – the more you engage with it, the more adept you’ll become at navigating the intricate landscape of ideas in your research endeavors.

Related :  Critical Thinking Interview Questions & Answers

Data Analysis is the art of processing, interpreting, and extracting meaningful insights from the raw information you’ve collected during your research journey. Think of it as deciphering a puzzle – you’re transforming numbers, observations, or qualitative data into a coherent narrative that answers your research questions and adds value to your work.

To excel in Data Analysis, you need to develop both quantitative and qualitative skills. For quantitative data, embrace statistical tools and techniques that help you identify trends, correlations, and patterns in your data sets. Practice using software like Excel, SPSS, or specialized tools for your field to perform statistical tests and visualize results effectively. For qualitative data, immerse yourself in the details, coding and categorizing themes to distill rich insights from textual or visual sources.

How to Improve Data Analysis

Improving your Data Analysis skills involves a combination of practice, learning, and refining your techniques. Start by immersing yourself in the basics of statistics and data analysis methodologies relevant to your research field. Engage in tutorials and online courses to familiarize yourself with various tools and software. As you analyze data, maintain clear documentation of your process and decisions, which will be crucial when presenting your findings.

Collaborate with peers or mentors who are experienced in data analysis to gain insights and feedback on your techniques. Remember, Data Analysis is about transforming data into knowledge – the more you engage with this skill, the better you’ll become at uncovering valuable insights that contribute to the depth and impact of your research.

Related :  Research Interview Questions & Answers

Problem Formulation is like setting the compass for your research journey – it involves defining clear and focused research questions or hypotheses that guide your entire investigation. Consider it the foundation of your work, as it shapes your approach, methods, and the ultimate impact of your research.

To master Problem Formulation, you need to become skilled in asking the right questions. Begin by thoroughly understanding the topic you’re exploring. What gaps or uncertainties do you notice in the existing knowledge? What specific aspect of the topic piques your interest? Craft research questions that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

If you’re developing hypotheses, ensure they are testable and grounded in existing theories or observations. Your skills in Problem Formulation also extend to identifying the scope and boundaries of your research – understanding what you’re including and excluding from your study.

How to Improve Problem Formulation

Improving your Problem Formulation skills requires practice and iterative refinement. Start by conducting a comprehensive literature review to understand the existing research landscape in your area. This will help you identify potential gaps and formulate questions that build upon existing knowledge.

Discuss with peers, mentors, or experts in your field to gain different perspectives and insights into potential research problems. As you develop your skills, be open to revising and refining your research questions based on new information or insights. Remember, Problem Formulation is the compass that guides your research journey – the more you invest in crafting clear and well-defined questions, the more impactful and focused your research will be.

Related :  10 Fact Finding Skills and How to Develop Them

Imagine these skills as your research toolkit for maintaining order amidst the vast sea of information you encounter. Organization involves structuring and managing your research materials, while Note-Taking ensures you capture valuable insights and details for future reference. Together, they help you stay on track and prevent valuable information from slipping through the cracks.

To excel in Organization and Note-Taking, you need to develop strategies that work best for you. Start by creating a systematic folder structure on your computer to store digital documents, articles, and data sets. For physical materials, consider using labeled folders or binders. As you gather information, employ tools like reference management software to keep track of your sources and generate citations efficiently.

Simultaneously, practice effective Note-Taking during your readings and research. Jot down key points, ideas, and relevant quotes in a structured format, whether you’re using a physical notebook or a digital note-taking app.

How to Improve Organization and Note-Taking

Improving your Organization and Note-Taking skills requires a mix of discipline and adaptability. Establish consistent routines for organizing research materials, updating folders, and managing citations. Regularly review and reorganize your notes to keep them relevant and accessible. Experiment with different note-taking techniques, such as outlining, summarizing, or mind mapping, to find the approach that aligns with your learning style.

Remember, Organization and Note-Taking are your allies in navigating the sea of information – the more you refine these skills, the smoother your research journey will become and the more confident you’ll be in tackling complex topics.

Synthesis and Writing are your means of weaving together the threads of information and insights you’ve collected into a coherent and impactful narrative. Think of it as crafting a masterpiece from the puzzle pieces of your research – you’re presenting your findings, analysis, and conclusions in a way that informs and engages your audience.

To excel in Synthesis and Writing, you must become a data and idea storyteller. Begin by outlining your research paper or report. Organize your findings logically, building a structured framework that guides your reader through your research journey. Ensure each section flows smoothly, connecting the dots between concepts and evidence. While writing, focus on clarity and conciseness – avoid jargon and convoluted language that may confuse your readers. Use effective transitions to guide them from one point to the next.

How to Improve Synthesis and Writing

Improving your Synthesis and Writing skills requires both practice and revision. Start by breaking down the writing process into manageable steps – drafting, revising, and editing. Give yourself time between drafting and revising to approach your work with fresh eyes. Critically evaluate your writing for clarity, coherence, and accuracy during revision.

Consider seeking feedback from peers, mentors, or writing centers to gain insights into improving your writing style. Study well-written papers in your field to observe how experienced researchers present their ideas effectively. Remember, Synthesis and Writing are your tools for communicating your research’s impact – the more you refine these skills, the more effectively you’ll share your discoveries and contribute to the body of knowledge in your field.

Ethical Considerations encompass the principles and guidelines that ensure your research is conducted with integrity, respect for participants’ rights, and a commitment to transparency. Think of it as the moral compass that guides your research journey, ensuring that your work upholds ethical standards and contributes positively to society.

To excel in Ethical Considerations, you need to become a guardian of ethical integrity in your research. Begin by understanding the ethical guidelines and regulations specific to your field and your research type. This involves respecting participants’ autonomy by obtaining informed consent, protecting their privacy and confidentiality, and ensuring they’re treated with dignity. Additionally, uphold intellectual honesty by properly attributing sources, avoiding plagiarism, and disclosing any potential conflicts of interest.

How to Improve Ethical Considerations

Improving your Ethical Considerations skills involves a combination of awareness and vigilance. Regularly educate yourself on the ethical codes and regulations relevant to your field and research methods. When designing your research, carefully plan how you will address ethical concerns and potential risks.

As you conduct your research, stay attuned to any ethical dilemmas that may arise and be prepared to address them appropriately. Remember, Ethical Considerations are at the heart of responsible research – the more you cultivate these skills, the more your work will contribute positively to both your field and society as a whole.

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Time Management involves the art of effectively allocating your time to different research tasks, ensuring that you meet deadlines, stay on track, and maintain a balanced workflow. Think of it as your compass for navigating the often-intricate landscape of research – it helps you stay organized, productive, and in control of your research journey.

To excel in Time Management, you need to become a master of planning and prioritization. Start by breaking down your research project into manageable tasks and setting realistic goals for each stage. Create a schedule that allocates research, data collection, analysis, writing, and revision time. Be mindful of your energy levels – tackle complex tasks during your most productive hours. Embrace tools like to-do lists, calendars, and time-tracking apps to keep yourself accountable and stay aware of your progress.

How to Improve Time Management

Improving your Time Management skills requires consistent practice and self-awareness. Continuously assess your progress against your planned schedule, adjusting as needed to accommodate unexpected challenges or new insights. Develop the skill of saying no to distractions and non-essential tasks that can derail your focus.

Break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks to prevent feeling overwhelmed. Regularly reflect on your time allocation and efficiency – what strategies are working well, and where can you improve? Remember, Time Management is a skill that can significantly impact your research journey – the more you refine it, the more you’ll find yourself navigating your work with greater ease and achieving your research goals with greater success.

Related :  10 Coordinating Skills and How to Develop Them

Adaptability is the ability to flex and evolve in response to changing circumstances, unexpected findings, and new information that arise during your research journey. Think of it as your compass for navigating the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of research – it empowers you to embrace uncertainty and adjust your course to ensure the best outcomes for your work.

To excel in Adaptability, you need to cultivate a mindset that embraces change and seeks opportunities within challenges. Start by acknowledging that research is often full of surprises and plans might need to shift. Develop a sense of resilience by staying open to revising your research questions, altering methodologies, or exploring unanticipated angles.

Being adaptable also means being resourceful – finding alternative approaches when things don’t go as planned. Embrace feedback from peers, mentors, or unexpected results, and be ready to integrate this feedback to improve the quality of your research.

How to Improve Adaptability

Improving your Adaptability skills involves practicing flexibility and embracing a growth mindset. Regularly reassess your research plan and objectives in light of new information or developments. Embrace failures and setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth rather than roadblocks. Seek out interdisciplinary perspectives and engage with new ideas that challenge your assumptions.

As you navigate through unexpected turns, continuously reflect on what you’ve learned and how you’ve adapted, so you can refine your approach in the future. Remember, Adaptability is the key to thriving in the dynamic landscape of research – the more you foster this skill, the better equipped you’ll be to tackle unforeseen challenges and emerge stronger from your research journey.

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Research Skills Conclusion

In the pursuit of knowledge and discovery, honing research skills is the linchpin that sets the stage for success. Throughout this exploration of various research skills and how to nurture them, one thing becomes evident: deliberate practice and continuous improvement are the bedrock of growth. Developing research skills is not merely a checkbox to mark; it’s a journey that empowers you to excel in your field, make meaningful contributions, and amplify the impact of your work.

Improving these skills isn’t just an option – it’s a necessity in today’s job market. The ability to gather information effectively, critically evaluate sources, analyze data, formulate problems, synthesize findings, and more, transforms the research process from a mere task into a dynamic and transformative experience. These skills serve as the pillars that uphold the credibility and validity of your work, ensuring that your contributions stand the test of scrutiny and time.

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Research skills: Examples + how to improve them

No matter what career path you choose to take, research skills are one of the key graduate career skills that will help you impress employers in applications and support you throughout your entire working life. 

Research skills are essential in problem-solving; learning how to improve research skills is therefore a great way to prepare for the workplace and improve your overall skill set in your early career. In this article, you’ll find out what research skills are, how to improve your research skills and much more. 

• What are research skills?
• Examples of research skills
• Jobs that require research skills
• How to improve research skills

How to use research skills at your workplace

How to include research skills in a cv, how to include research skills in a cover letter.

• How to demonstrate your research skills at a job interview

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What are research skills? 

Research skills refer to an individual’s ability to source information about a certain topic, and effectively extract and evaluate the information in order to answer questions or solve problems. 

Research skills are soft skills that are highly sought after by employers as they show a candidate’s ability to understand and analyse a variety of materials and sources. Whether you’re studying or already in the workplace, research skills are important transferable skills to have in any role or sector that you choose.

These skills can be constantly improved, and this is a great way to develop in your early career and prepare for the workplace. For example, your manager might ask you to conduct research or analysis for various projects, where these skills will be essential for your success. 

Learn how to develop your entire transferable skillset with this free online learning course. You'll also get a certificate once you complete the course that you can display on your CV and LinkedIn profile.

Examples of research skills 

During your time at school and university, you will have used a variety of research skills to complete projects and assignments. If you’re not sure what research skills look like in practice, here are some examples: 

Data collection 

Data collection is the process of systematically gathering information in order to solve problems, answer questions and better understand a particular topic. The information or data that you are collecting can be quantitative or qualitative; it can be collected through using surveys, interviews, reviewing existing materials and more to solve a particular problem.

At university, you would need to read broadly on a certain topic or conduct a literature review for a certain project. This is all data collection, and you can develop and use these experiences in your future role too. 

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to interpret and analyse information in order to form a particular judgement or evaluation. Someone who is a great critical thinker will be able to apply their knowledge (informed by evidence from, for example, data collection) to think rationally and come to a conclusion. Critical thinking is key in the workplace as it means you can analyse and evaluate strategically, to come to a judgement that will inform a particular action or idea.

Detail orientation 

Another key example of a research skill is detail orientation, or the ability to focus on small details. Someone who is detail-oriented will be able to notice small mistakes and will be able to deliver high-quality and accurate work. When solving problems, this is essential, as the ability to extract and evaluate information with accuracy is important for the validity of your research and will help drive high-quality results. 

Time management 

Time management is the ability to organise your time when planning different activities and projects. Effective time management means you’re able to balance your workload and ensure all tasks are completed within an allotted time. This is important for your research skills, as it means you are able to effectively delegate your time between data collection, analysis and evaluation.

Jobs that require research skills 

• External auditors have great attention to detail to investigate organisations. In an external auditor role, you will need to research policies and regulations, analyse data provided by the organisation and draw conclusions for a report.
• A strategist in the financial sector looks at an organisation’s finances to come up with plans for the future. You need great analytical and evaluative skills in order to understand the best options for your clients and turn a rational judgement into action. 
• A role in the Civil Service involves researching, developing and maintaining policy in the UK. Being able to inform your decisions with evidence, and manage your time effectively, is key. 
• In the role of a data scientist , you will need to conduct research to understand why a client or company needs a data scientist, and be able to analyse effectively to see big patterns in large amounts of data. 
• Clinical scientists must carefully analyse and process large amounts of data, requiring strong research skills and detail orientation.

Not quite sure about the type of career you should pursue? Take our Career Path Test and get matched with the career paths and sectors that meet your interests. 

How to improve research skills 

• Practise your time management and organisation skills: Whether you’re at university or in your early career, it’s important to start learning how to balance your time effectively to complete a number of tasks. For your next project, try setting out clear activities that need to be completed, how long you need to spend on each, and a timeline for when each task will be started and completed. 
• Learn how to write reports: In any research process or project, you will need to summarise and evaluate your findings in a written report in a clear and concise way. Make sure to include the objective of your research, a summary of your findings, and the judgements you have made from the evidence you found. 
• Read more widely: One of the core aspects of research and analysis is the ability to extract information from a variety of materials. Reading more widely will improve your data collection skills and will give you experience with forming judgements from a range of sources and on a number of topics.
• Plan . Before you start a project at work, make sure you’ve taken time to plan what tasks you need to do, and how long each will take, to understand the timelines of the project. This allows you to set aside dedicated time for the research phase, for example, before analysing data or putting ideas into action.
• Read about the topic . Whatever sector you’re in, and whatever project you’re working on, reading about your subject area is key to understanding your field ahead of any decisions being made. This will help you solve problems and answer any questions you need to be answered at the offset.
• Compare your results . Following any research or data collection, it’s a good idea to compare your findings with colleagues to ensure consistency across the team. This will lead to greater accuracy for the project as a whole.
• Present . Practising your presentation and communication skills is an essential part of developing your research skills. At the end of any research you’ve conducted, get into the habit of presenting your findings in a written report, and try presenting this to your line manager and wider team.

Once you’ve developed your research skills, it’s important that you know how to convey these effectively in applications – starting with your CV.

Read: How to write a CV | Advice & templates

Your CV is usually the first thing an employer sees of you, so you need to impress them from the offset. Highlighting your research skills, and how you’ve used them in your experience so far, is a great way to do this and will show your organisation, attention to detail and critical thinking.

Research skills should be included under the ‘skills and achievements section of your CV. This is where you include your technical and personal skills that relate to the role you’re applying for.

When talking about your research skills, remember to highlight how you’ve developed these in a concise way. For example, you might have developed research skills by writing a number of literature reviews at university. This might be phrased as “developed effective research skills through data collection and analysis when writing literature reviews for university projects.”

Another way to convey your research skills on your application and impress employers is through the cover letter. If an employer asks for one, it’s important to know how to structure a cover letter so that you can convey your skillset and interest in the role clearly and succinctly.

Your cover letter needs to be no more than one page and should highlight your competency for the role you’re applying for. Approach your application from the basis of ‘what I can do for you’ rather than ‘what you can do for me’. As research skills are transferable, this is a great chance to highlight how you can benefit the organisation and team you’re applying for, as it shows your ability to collect data, think critically, organise your time, analyse and more. Remember to apply these soft and transferable skills to what the job description says will be expected of you.

How to demonstrate your research skills at a job interview 

Interviews are another opportunity to impress employers with your skill set - including how you have developed strong research skills which you can use in the role you’re applying to. 

Ahead of your interview, you should be using your research skills to look into the company you’ve applied for. Get familiar with what they do, their company values and what they’re looking for in a candidate for your chosen role. 

You can also get prepared by practising to answer potential research skills questions like “give me an example of a time when you solved a problem using your research skills.” To answer this, make sure you’re identifying the specific research skills you have used, and explain a real example of when you have solved problems using them. Think about the impact using those research skills had in order to highlight how you have developed these skills effectively in practice. 

Research skills are essential for success in many different roles and fields. By learning how to improve your research skills, you are setting yourself up to impress employers at application and become an asset to a team when you enter the workplace. 

Research skills are soft skills that employers value, are essential for developing your problem-solving skills and are one of the key graduate career skills that recruiters look for. By adding ‘research skills’ to your CV, and highlighting your research capabilities at interviews, you are increasing your employability and chances for success.

Browse thousands of available graduate jobs, schemes and more and demonstrate to employers that you're able to use your research skills to succeed at interview and in your early career. 

Educational resources and simple solutions for your research journey

Research Skills: 7 Ways for Students to Restore Focus on Learning

Do you know that there are some simple research skills that can give your PhD journey a boost?   

You have embarked on your doctoral journey, eager to carry out original research, learn research skills , and contribute to the existing universe of knowledge in your field. However, this many-year journey is also a challenging one; a highly intellectual and often emotional pursuit with its share of anxieties and pressures. But don’t get disheartened. There are a few simple strategies you can adopt to cope with issues and distractions along the way , re-focus your mind and learn new research skills in the process.  

Table of Contents

7 Ways to improve your research skills  

Let’s look at some techniques to help you to keep up with everything you need to do and restore focus on learning research skills while you attain your doctorate.  

1. Develop a confident and resilient attitude: Deciding to take the step to equip yourself with a doctorate is a commendable decision by itself. One of the simplest research skills you should have is internalizing your confidence in being able to tackle challenges. Remember that the road may have its share of ups and downs but you are in it for the long haul. Keeping up your morale and staying motivated is an important research skill if you are to get through the gruelling four-to-five-year journey to attaining your PhD.  

2. Set your own targets: The road to a PhD can be a lonely one, but it allows you to develop some crucial research skills . Since it is a personal journey, the more proactive you are the more rewarding it. Setting manageable targets will help lessen any feeling of anxiety you may have. While your supervisor plays an integral role in providing advice and support, you should aim to create your own daily to-do lists, work plans, weekly and monthly goals that will enable you to work within a timebound framework. This basic research skill will help you to progress with your field/lab work as well as make progress with writing and preparing initial drafts of, for instance, your thesis introduction and literature review.  

3. Continue the learning process: While learning the basics of how to be an effective researcher, make time to build and enhance your research skills . As part of your PhD requirements, you will be expected to write impactful research articles, present them in seminars, and even publish them in peer-reviewed journals. These require specific research skills that have their own gradual learning curve and need to be carefully cultivated. Reaching out to your supervisor or advisor and attending seminars or training courses offered by your department or university will help a great deal. You can also learn new research skills by yourself and at your own pace by taking up some expert-led online courses for researchers .  

4. Master your time management skills: One of the most important research skills you need to learn is time management. This essential skill will help you all through life, helping you lessen your stress as you proceed to meet tight deadlines. Great time management skills also allow you to balance your regular field or lab work with learning activities such as seminars, courses, and lectures, and even leave you some time for socializing. However, keep in mind that things may not always go as expected, for example, when experiments may take longer than expected to yield results. This should not lead to a state of anxiety or stress instead your time management skills will empower you to make the best of the situation at this point of time.  

5. Enroll in research groups or communities: Building a network of peers , where you can learn useful research skills , discuss ideas, share experiences, and get inputs is a great way to refine your work. So make an effort to connect with other PhD students, post-docs and senior researchers by enrolling in research groups or attending events by your institute. Actively engaging with a thriving global researcher community can broaden your perspective, aid your learning process, and add to your research skills .  

6. Embrace suggestions and advice: The best strategy for PhD students, and one of the important research skills , is to remain focused and adapt quickly if you think things are not going your way. Be open to new ideas and suggestions that have the potential to enhance your work, take time to carefully consider each one (discuss these with your supervisor, if possible), and then be ready to tweak your approach. The advice you receive can add new dimensions to your work and further enrich your research.  

7. Keep the larger goal in sight: In navigating the ups and downs of this academic journey, the larger goal of earning your PhD and the work that you eventually desire to take on should be your driving force. Reminding yourself of this aspect will certainly help you learn the research skills required to tackle the many hurdles and overwhelming tasks that inevitably arise.  

Remember that you are on this journey because you are passionate about the topic you have chosen for your doctorate. Therefore, inculcating a winning attitude and building essential research skills should be your main motivation. When you learn research skills and keep practicing these, you will find your PhD journey getting easier. However, remember, that it is also important to take a step back once in a while to indulge in other activities or interests, which will help you maintain a healthy work-life balance as you learn new research skills and race toward your goal.  

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Home > Blog > Tips for Online Students > The Best Research Skills For Success

Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

The Best Research Skills For Success

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: January 5, 2020

Every student is required to conduct research in their academic careers at one point or another. A good research paper not only requires a great deal of time, but it also requires complex skills. Research skills include the ability to organize, evaluate, locate, and extract relevant information.

Let’s learn how to develop great research skills for academic success.

What is Research?

We’ve all surely heard the term “research” endlessly. But do you really know what it means?

Research is a type of study that focuses on a specific problem and aims to solve it using scientific methods. Research is a highly systematic process that involves both describing, explaining, and predicting something.

Photo by  Startup Stock Photos  from  Pexels

What are research skills.

Research skills are what helps us answer our most burning questions, and they are what assist us in our solving process from A to Z, including searching, finding, collecting, breaking down, and evaluating the relevant information to the phenomenon at hand.

Research is the basis of everything we know — and without it, we’re not sure where we would be today! For starters, without the internet and without cars, that’s for sure.

Why are Research Skills Important?

Research skills come in handy in pretty much everything we do, and especially so when it comes to the workforce. Employers will want to hire you and compensate you better if you demonstrate a knowledge of research skills that can benefit their company.

From knowing how to write reports, how to notice competition, develop new products, identify customer needs, constantly learn new technologies, and improve the company’s productivity, there’s no doubt that research skills are of utter importance. Research also can save a company a great deal of money by first assessing whether making an investment is really worthwhile for them.

How to Get Research Skills

Now that you’re fully convinced about the importance of research skills, you’re surely going to want to know how to get them. And you’ll be delighted to hear that it’s really not so complicated! There are plenty of simple methods out there to gain research skills such as the internet as the most obvious tool.

Gaining new research skills however is not limited to just the internet. There are tons of books, such as Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, journals, articles, studies, interviews and much, much more out there that can teach you how to best conduct your research.

Utilizing Research Skills

Now that you’ve got all the tools you need to get started, let’s utilize these research skills to the fullest. These skills can be used in more ways than you know. Your research skills can be shown off either in interviews that you’re conducting or even in front of the company you’re hoping to get hired at .

It’s also useful to add your list of research skills to your resume, especially if it’s a research-based job that requires skills such as collecting data or writing research-based reports. Many jobs require critical thinking as well as planning ahead.

Career Paths that Require Research Skills

If you’re wondering which jobs actually require these research skills, they are actually needed in a variety of industries. Some examples of the types of work that require a great deal of research skills include any position related to marketing, science , history, report writing, and even the food industry.

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How students can improve research skills.

Perhaps you know what you have to do, but sometimes, knowing how to do it can be more of a challenge. So how can you as a student improve your research skills ?

1. Define your research according to the assignment

By defining your research and understanding how it relates to the specific field of study, it can give more context to the situation.

2. Break down the assignment

The most difficult part of the research process is actually just getting started. By breaking down your research into realistic and achievable parts, it can help you achieve your goals and stay systematic.

3. Evaluate your sources

While there are endless sources out there, it’s important to always evaluate your sources and make sure that they are reliable, based on a variety of factors such as their accuracy and if they are biased, especially if used for research purposes.

4. Avoid plagiarism

Plagiarism is a major issue when it comes to research, and is often misunderstood by students. IAs a student, it’s important that you understand what plagiarism really means, and if you are unclear, be sure to ask your teachers.

5. Consult and collaborate with a librarian

A librarian is always a good person to have around, especially when it comes to research. Most students don’t seek help from their school librarian, however, this person tends to be someone with a vast amount of knowledge when it comes to research skills and where to look for reliable sources.

6. Use library databases

There are tons of online library resources that don’t require approaching anyone. These databases are generally loaded with useful information that has something for every student’s specific needs.

7. Practice effective reading

It’s highly beneficial to practice effective reading, and there are no shortage of ways to do it. One effective way to improve your research skills it to ask yourself questions using a variety of perspectives, putting yourself in the mind of someone else and trying to see things from their point of view.

There are many critical reading strategies that can be useful, such as making summaries from annotations, and highlighting important passages.

Thesis definition

A thesis is a specific theory or statement that is to be either proved or maintained. Generally, the intentions of a thesis are stated, and then throughout, the conclusions are proven to the reader through research. A thesis is crucial for research because it is the basis of what we are trying to prove, and what guides us through our writing.

What Skills Do You Need To Be A Researcher?

One of the most important skills needed for research is independence, meaning that you are capable of managing your own work and time without someone looking over you.

Critical thinking, problem solving, taking initiative, and overall knowing how to work professionally in front of your peers are all crucial for effectively conducting research .

1. Fact check your sources

Knowing how to evaluate information in your sources and determine whether or not it’s accurate, valid or appropriate for the specific purpose is a first on the list of research skills.

2. Ask the right questions

Having the ability to ask the right questions will get you better search results and more specific answers to narrow down your research and make it more concise.

3. Dig deeper: Analyzing

Don’t just go for the first source you find that seems reliable. Always dig further to broaden your knowledge and make sure your research is as thorough as possible.

4. Give credit

Respect the rights of others and avoid plagiarizing by always properly citing your research sources.

5. Utilize tools

There are endless tools out there, such as useful websites, books, online videos, and even on-campus professionals such as librarians that can help. Use all the many social media networks out there to both gain and share more information for your research.

6. Summarizing

Summarizing plays a huge role in research, and once the data is collected, relevant information needs to be arranged accordingly. Otherwise it can be incredibly overwhelming.

7. Categorizing

Not only does information need to be summarized, but also arranged into categories that can help us organize our thoughts and break down our materials and sources of information.

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What are different types of research, 1. qualitative.

This type of research is exploratory research and its aim is to obtain a better understanding of reasons for things. Qualitative research helps form an idea without any specific fixed pattern. Some examples include face-to-face interviews or group discussions.

2. Quantitative

Quantitative research is based on numbers and statistics. This type of research uses data to prove facts, and is generally taken from a large group of people.

3. Analytical

Analytical research has to always be done from a neutral point of view, and the researcher is intended to break down all perspectives. This type of research involves collecting information from a wide variety of sources.

4. Persuasive

Persuasive research describes an issue from two different perspectives, going through both the pros and cons of both, and then aims to prove their preference towards one side by exploring a variety of logical facts.

5. Cause & Effect

In this type of research, the cause and effects are first presented, and then a conclusion is made. Cause and effect research is for those who are new in the field of research and is mostly conducted by high school or college students.

6. Experimental Research

Experimental research involves very specific steps that must be followed, starting by conducting an experiment. It is then followed by sharing an experience and providing data about it. This research is concluded with data in a highly detailed manner.

7. Survey Research

Survey research includes conducting a survey by asking participants specific questions, and then analyzing those findings. From that, researchers can then draw a conclusion.

8. Problem-Solution Research

Both students and scholars alike carry out this type of research, and it involves solving problems by analyzing the situation and finding the perfect solution to it.

What it Takes to Become a Researcher

• Critical thinking

Research is most valuable when something new is put on the table. Critical thinking is needed to bring something unique to our knowledge and conduct research successfully.

• Analytical thinking

Analytical thinking is one of the most important research skills and requires a great deal of practice. Such a skill can assist researchers in taking apart and understanding a large amount of important information in a short amount of time.

• Explanation skills

When it comes to research skills, it’s not just about finding information, but also about how you explain it. It’s more than just writing it out, but rather, knowing how to clearly and concisely explain your new ideas.

• Patience is key

Just like with anything in life, patience will always take you far. It might be difficult to come by, but by not rushing things and investing the time needed to conduct research properly, your work is bound for success.

• Time management

Time is the most important asset that we have, and it can never be returned back to us. By learning time management skills , we can utilize our time in the best way possible and make sure to always be productive in our research.

What You Need to Sharpen Your Research Skills

Research is one of the most important tasks that students are given in college, and in many cases, it’s almost half of the academic grade that one is given.

As we’ve seen, there are plenty of things that you’ll need to sharpen your research skills — which mainly include knowing how to choose reliable and relevant sources, and knowing how to take them and make it your own. It’s important to always ask the right questions and dig deeper to make sure that you understood the full picture.

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Research Skills: What they are and Benefits

Research skills play a vital role in the success of any research project, enabling individuals to navigate the vast sea of information, analyze data critically, and draw meaningful conclusions. Whether conducting academic research, professional investigations, or personal inquiries, strong research skills are essential for obtaining accurate and reliable results.

LEARN ABOUT:   Research Process Steps

By understanding and developing these skills, individuals can embark on their research endeavors with confidence, integrity, and the capability to make meaningful contributions in their chosen fields. This article will explore the importance of research skills and discuss critical competencies necessary for conducting a research project effectively.

Content Index

What are Research Skills?

Important research skills for research project, benefits of research skills.

• Improving your Research Skills

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Research skills are the capability a person carries to create new concepts and understand the use of data collection. These skills include techniques, documentation, and interpretation of the collected data. Research is conducted to evaluate hypotheses and share the findings most appropriately. Research skills improve as we gain experience.

To conduct efficient research, specific research skills are essential. These skills are necessary for companies to develop new products and services or enhance existing products. To develop good research skills is important for both the individual as well as the company.

When undertaking a research project, one must possess specific important skills to ensure the project’s success and accuracy. Here are some essential research skills that are crucial for conducting a project effectively:

Time Management Skills:

Time management is an essential research skill; it helps you break down your project into parts and enables you to manage it easier. One can create a dead-line oriented plan for the research project and assign time for each task. Time management skills include setting goals for the project, planning and organizing functions as per their priority, and efficiently delegating these tasks.

Communication Skills:

These skills help you understand and receive important information and also allow you to share your findings with others in an effective manner. Active listening and speaking are critical skills for solid communication. A researcher must have good communication skills.

Problem-Solving:  

The ability to handle complex situations and business challenges and come up with solutions for them is termed problem-solving. To problem-solve, you should be able to fully understand the extent of the problem and then break it down into smaller parts. Once segregated into smaller chunks, you can start thinking about each element and analyze it to find a solution.

Information gathering and attention to detail:

Relevant information is the key to good research design . Searching for credible resources and collecting information from there will help you strengthen your research proposal and drive you to solutions faster. Once you have access to information, paying close attention to all the details and drawing conclusions based on the findings is essential.

Research Design and Methodology :

Understanding research design and methodology is essential for planning and conducting a project. Depending on the research question and objectives, researchers must select appropriate research methods, such as surveys, experiments, interviews, or case studies. Proficiency in designing research protocols, data collection instruments, and sampling strategies is crucial for obtaining reliable and valid results.

Data Collection and Analysis :

Researchers should be skilled in collecting and analyzing data accurately. It involves designing data collection instruments, collecting data through various methods, such as surveys or observations, and organizing and analyzing the collected data using appropriate statistical or qualitative analysis techniques. Proficiency in using software tools like SPSS, Excel, or qualitative analysis software can be beneficial.

By developing and strengthening these research skills, researchers can enhance the quality and impact of their research process, contributing to good research skills in their respective fields.

Research skills are invaluable assets that can benefit individuals in various aspects of their lives. Here are some key benefits of developing and honing research skills:

Boosts Curiosity :

Curiosity is a strong desire to know things and a powerful learning driver. Curious researchers will naturally ask questions that demand answers and will stop in the search for answers. Interested people are better listeners and are open to listening to other people’s ideas and perspectives, not just their own.

Cultivates Self-awareness :

As well as being aware of other people’s subjective opinions, one must develop the importance of research skills and be mindful of the benefits of awareness research; we are exposed to many things while researching. Once we start doing research, the benefit from it reflects on the beliefs and attitudes and encourages them to open their minds to other perspectives and ways of looking at things.

Effective Communication:

Research skills contribute to practical communication skills by enhancing one’s ability to articulate ideas, opinions, and findings clearly and coherently. Through research, individuals learn to organize their thoughts, present evidence-based arguments, and effectively convey complex information to different audiences. These skills are crucial in academic research settings, professional environments, and personal interactions.

Personal and Professional Growth :

Developing research skills fosters personal and professional growth by instilling a sense of curiosity, intellectual independence, and a lifelong learning mindset. Research encourages individuals to seek knowledge, challenge assumptions, and embrace intellectual growth. These skills also enhance adaptability as individuals become adept at navigating and assimilating new information, staying updated with the latest developments, and adjusting their perspectives and strategies accordingly.

Academic Success:

Research skills are essential for academic research success. They enable students to conduct thorough literature reviews, gather evidence to support their arguments, and critically evaluate existing research. By honing their research skills, students can produce well-structured, evidence-based essays, projects, and dissertations demonstrating high academic research rigor and analytical thinking.

Professional Advancement:

Research skills are highly valued in the professional world. They are crucial for conducting market research, analyzing trends, identifying opportunities, and making data-driven decisions. Employers appreciate individuals who can effectively gather and analyze information, solve complex problems, and provide evidence-based recommendations. Research skills also enable professionals to stay updated with advancements in their field, positioning themselves as knowledgeable and competent experts.

Developing and nurturing research skills can significantly benefit individuals in numerous aspects of their lives, enabling them to thrive in an increasingly information-driven world.

Improving Your Research Skills

There are many things you can do to improve your research skills and utilize them in your research or day job. Here are some examples:

• Develop Information Literacy: Strengthening your information literacy skills is crucial for conducting thorough research. It involves identifying reliable sources, evaluating the credibility of information, and navigating different research databases.
• Enhance Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is an essential skill for effective research. It involves analyzing information, questioning assumptions, and evaluating arguments. Practice critical analysis by analyzing thoughtfully, identifying biases, and considering alternative perspectives.
• Master Research Methodologies: Familiarize yourself with different research methodologies relevant to your field. Whether it’s qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research, realizing the strengths and limitations of each approach is crucial.
• Practice Effective Time Management: Research requires dedicated time and effort. Develop good time management skills to ensure that you allocate sufficient time for each stage of the research process, including planning, data collection, analysis, and writing.
• Embrace Collaboration: Collaborating with peers and colleagues can provide a fresh perspective and enrich your research experience. Engage in discussions, share ideas, and seek feedback from others. Collaborative projects allow for exchanging knowledge and skills.
• Continuously Update Your Knowledge: Stay informed about your field’s latest developments and advancements. Regularly read scholarly articles, attend conferences, and follow reputable sources of information to stay up to date with current research trends.

There is plenty of information available on the internet about every topic; hence, learning skills to know which information is relevant and credible is very important. Today most search engines have the feature of advanced search, and you can customize the search as per your preference. Once you learn this skill, it will help you find information. 

Experts possess a wealth of knowledge, experience, and insights that can significantly enhance your understanding and abilities in conducting research. Experts have often encountered numerous challenges and hurdles throughout their research journey and have developed effective problem-solving techniques. Engaging with experts is a highly effective approach to improving research skills.

Moreover, experts can provide valuable feedback and constructive criticism on your research work. They can offer fresh perspectives, identify areas for improvement, and help you refine your research questions, methodology, and analysis.

At QuestionPro, we can help you with the necessary tools to carry out your projects, and we have created the following free resources to help you in your professional growth:

• Survey Templates

Research skills are invaluable assets that empower individuals to navigate the ever-expanding realm of information, make informed decisions, and contribute to advancing knowledge. With advanced research tools and technologies like QuestionPro Survey Software, researchers have potent resources to conduct comprehensive surveys, gather data, and analyze results efficiently.

Where data-driven decision-making is crucial, research skills supported by advanced tools like QuestionPro are essential for researchers to stay ahead and make impactful contributions to their fields. By embracing these research skills and leveraging the capabilities of powerful survey software, researchers can unlock new possibilities, gain deeper insights, and pave the way for meaningful discoveries.

Authors : Gargi Ghamandi & Sandeep Kokane

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The Most Important Research Skills (With Examples)

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Research skills are the ability to find out accurate information on a topic. They include being able to determine the data you need, find and interpret those findings, and then explain that to others. Being able to do effective research is a beneficial skill in any profession, as data and research inform how businesses operate.

Whether you’re unsure of your research skills or are looking for ways to further improve them, then this article will cover important research skills and how to become even better at research.

Key Takeaways

Having strong research skills can help you understand your competitors, develop new processes, and build your professional skills in addition to aiding you in finding new customers and saving your company money.

Some of the most valuable research skills you can have include goal setting, data collection, and analyzing information from multiple sources.

You can and should put your research skills on your resume and highlight them in your job interviews.

What are research skills?

Why are research skills important, 12 of the most important research skills, how to improve your research skills, highlighting your research skills in a job interview, how to include research skills on your resume, resume examples showcasing research skills, research skills faqs.

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Research skills are the necessary tools to be able to find, compile, and interpret information in order to answer a question. Of course, there are several aspects to this. Researchers typically have to decide how to go about researching a problem — which for most people is internet research.

In addition, you need to be able to interpret the reliability of a source, put the information you find together in an organized and logical way, and be able to present your findings to others. That means that they’re comprised of both hard skills — knowing your subject and what’s true and what isn’t — and soft skills. You need to be able to interpret sources and communicate clearly.

Research skills are useful in any industry, and have applications in innovation, product development, competitor research, and many other areas. In addition, the skills used in researching aren’t only useful for research. Being able to interpret information is a necessary skill, as is being able to clearly explain your reasoning.

Research skills are used to:

Do competitor research. Knowing what your biggest competitors are up to is an essential part of any business. Researching what works for your competitors, what they’re doing better than you, and where you can improve your standing with the lowest resource expenditure are all essential if a company wants to remain functional.

Develop new processes and products. You don’t have to be involved in research and development to make improvements in how your team gets things done. Researching new processes that make your job (and those of your team) more efficient will be valued by any sensible employer.

Foster self-improvement. Folks who have a knack and passion for research are never content with doing things the same way they’ve always been done. Organizations need independent thinkers who will seek out their own answers and improve their skills as a matter of course. These employees will also pick up new technologies more easily.

Manage customer relationships. Being able to conduct research on your customer base is positively vital in virtually every industry. It’s hard to move products or sell services if you don’t know what people are interested in. Researching your customer base’s interests, needs, and pain points is a valuable responsibility.

Save money. Whether your company is launching a new product or just looking for ways to scale back its current spending, research is crucial for finding wasted resources and redirecting them to more deserving ends. Anyone who proactively researches ways that the company can save money will be highly appreciated by their employer.

Solve problems. Problem solving is a major part of a lot of careers, and research skills are instrumental in making sure your solution is effective. Finding out the cause of the problem and determining an effective solution both require accurate information, and research is the best way to obtain that — be it via the internet or by observation.

Determine reliable information. Being able to tell whether or not the information you receive seems accurate is a very valuable skill. While research skills won’t always guarantee that you’ll be able to tell the reliability of the information at first glance, it’ll prevent you from being too trusting. And it’ll give the tools to double-check .

Experienced researchers know that worthwhile investigation involves a variety of skills. Consider which research skills come naturally to you, and which you could work on more.

Data collection . When thinking about the research process, data collection is often the first thing that comes to mind. It is the nuts and bolts of research. How data is collected can be flexible.

For some purposes, simply gathering facts and information on the internet can fulfill your need. Others may require more direct and crowd-sourced research. Having experience in various methods of data collection can make your resume more impressive to recruiters.

Data collection methods include: Observation Interviews Questionnaires Experimentation Conducting focus groups

Analysis of information from different sources. Putting all your eggs in one source basket usually results in error and disappointment. One of the skills that good researchers always incorporate into their process is an abundance of sources. It’s also best practice to consider the reliability of these sources.

Are you reading about U.S. history on a conspiracy theorist’s blog post? Taking facts for a presentation from an anonymous Twitter account?

If you can’t determine the validity of the sources you’re using, it can compromise all of your research. That doesn’t mean just disregard anything on the internet but double-check your findings. In fact, quadruple-check. You can make your research even stronger by turning to references outside of the internet.

Examples of reliable information sources include: Published books Encyclopedias Magazines Databases Scholarly journals Newspapers Library catalogs

Finding information on the internet. While it can be beneficial to consulate alternative sources, strong internet research skills drive modern-day research.

One of the great things about the internet is how much information it contains, however, this comes with digging through a lot of garbage to get to the facts you need. The ability to efficiently use the vast database of knowledge that is on the internet without getting lost in the junk is very valuable to employers.

Internet research skills include: Source checking Searching relevant questions Exploring deeper than the first options Avoiding distraction Giving credit Organizing findings

Interviewing. Some research endeavors may require a more hands-on approach than just consulting internet sources. Being prepared with strong interviewing skills can be very helpful in the research process.

Interviews can be a useful research tactic to gain first-hand information and being able to manage a successful interview can greatly improve your research skills.

Interviewing skills involves: A plan of action Specific, pointed questions Respectfulness Considering the interview setting Actively Listening Taking notes Gratitude for participation

Report writing. Possessing skills in report writing can assist you in job and scholarly research. The overall purpose of a report in any context is to convey particular information to its audience.

Effective report writing is largely dependent on communication. Your boss, professor , or general reader should walk away completely understanding your findings and conclusions.

Report writing skills involve: Proper format Including a summary Focusing on your initial goal Creating an outline Proofreading Directness

Critical thinking. Critical thinking skills can aid you greatly throughout the research process, and as an employee in general. Critical thinking refers to your data analysis skills. When you’re in the throes of research, you need to be able to analyze your results and make logical decisions about your findings.

Critical thinking skills involve: Observation Analysis Assessing issues Problem-solving Creativity Communication

Planning and scheduling. Research is a work project like any other, and that means it requires a little forethought before starting. Creating a detailed outline map for the points you want to touch on in your research produces more organized results.

It also makes it much easier to manage your time. Planning and scheduling skills are important to employers because they indicate a prepared employee.

Planning and scheduling skills include: Setting objectives Identifying tasks Prioritizing Delegating if needed Vision Communication Clarity Time-management

Note-taking. Research involves sifting through and taking in lots of information. Taking exhaustive notes ensures that you will not neglect any findings later and allows you to communicate these results to your co-workers. Being able to take good notes helps summarize research.

Examples of note-taking skills include: Focus Organization Using short-hand Keeping your objective in mind Neatness Highlighting important points Reviewing notes afterward

Communication skills. Effective research requires being able to understand and process the information you receive, either written or spoken. That means that you need strong reading comprehension and writing skills — two major aspects of communication — as well as excellent listening skills.

Most research also involves showcasing your findings. This can be via a presentation. , report, chart, or Q&A. Whatever the case, you need to be able to communicate your findings in a way that educates your audience.

Communication skills include: Reading comprehension Writing Listening skills Presenting to an audience Creating graphs or charts Explaining in layman’s terms

Time management. We’re, unfortunately, only given 24 measly hours in a day. The ability to effectively manage this time is extremely powerful in a professional context. Hiring managers seek candidates who can accomplish goals in a given timeframe.

Strong time management skills mean that you can organize a plan for how to break down larger tasks in a project and complete them by a deadline. Developing your time management skills can greatly improve the productivity of your research.

Time management skills include: Scheduling Creating task outlines Strategic thinking Stress-management Delegation Communication Utilizing resources Setting realistic expectations Meeting deadlines

Using your network. While this doesn’t seem immediately relevant to research skills, remember that there are a lot of experts out there. Knowing what people’s areas of expertise and asking for help can be tremendously beneficial — especially if it’s a subject you’re unfamiliar with.

Your coworkers are going to have different areas of expertise than you do, and your network of people will as well. You may even know someone who knows someone who’s knowledgeable in the area you’re researching. Most people are happy to share their expertise, as it’s usually also an area of interest to them.

Networking involves: Remembering people’s areas of expertise Being willing to ask for help Communication Returning favors Making use of advice Asking for specific assistance

Attention to detail. Research is inherently precise. That means that you need to be attentive to the details, both in terms of the information you’re gathering, but also in where you got it from. Making errors in statistics can have a major impact on the interpretation of the data, not to mention that it’ll reflect poorly on you.

There are proper procedures for citing sources that you should follow. That means that your sources will be properly credited, preventing accusations of plagiarism. In addition, it means that others can make use of your research by returning to the original sources.

Attention to detail includes: Double checking statistics Taking notes Keeping track of your sources Staying organized Making sure graphs are accurate and representative Properly citing sources

As with many professional skills, research skills serve us in our day to day life. Any time you search for information on the internet, you’re doing research. That means that you’re practicing it outside of work as well. If you want to continue improving your research skills, both for professional and personal use, here are some tips to try.

Differentiate between source quality. A researcher is only as good as their worst source. Start paying attention to the quality of the sources you use, and be suspicious of everything your read until you check out the attributions and works cited.

Be critical and ask yourself about the author’s bias, where the author’s research aligns with the larger body of verified research in the field, and what publication sponsored or published the research.

Use multiple resources. When you can verify information from a multitude of sources, it becomes more and more credible. To bolster your faith in one source, see if you can find another source that agrees with it.

Don’t fall victim to confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is when a researcher expects a certain outcome and then goes to find data that supports this hypothesis. It can even go so far as disregarding anything that challenges the researcher’s initial hunch. Be prepared for surprising answers and keep an open mind.

Be open to the idea that you might not find a definitive answer. It’s best to be honest and say that you found no definitive answer instead of just confirming what you think your boss or coworkers expect or want to hear. Experts and good researchers are willing to say that they don’t know.

Stay organized. Being able to cite sources accurately and present all your findings is just as important as conducting the research itself. Start practicing good organizational skills , both on your devices and for any physical products you’re using.

Get specific as you go. There’s nothing wrong with starting your research in a general way. After all, it’s important to become familiar with the terminology and basic gist of the researcher’s findings before you dig down into all the minutia.

A job interview is itself a test of your research skills. You can expect questions on what you know about the company, the role, and your field or industry more generally. In order to give expert answers on all these topics, research is crucial.

Start by researching the company . Look into how they communicate with the public through social media, what their mission statement is, and how they describe their culture.

Pay close attention to the tone of their website. Is it hyper professional or more casual and fun-loving? All of these elements will help decide how best to sell yourself at the interview.

Next, research the role. Go beyond the job description and reach out to current employees working at your desired company and in your potential department. If you can find out what specific problems your future team is or will be facing, you’re sure to impress hiring managers and recruiters with your ability to research all the facts.

Finally, take time to research the job responsibilities you’re not as comfortable with. If you’re applying for a job that represents increased difficulty or entirely new tasks, it helps to come into the interview with at least a basic knowledge of what you’ll need to learn.

Research projects require dedication. Being committed is a valuable skill for hiring managers. Whether you’ve had research experience throughout education or a former job, including it properly can boost the success of your resume .

Consider how extensive your research background is. If you’ve worked on multiple, in-depth research projects, it might be best to include it as its own section. If you have less research experience, include it in the skills section .

Focus on your specific role in the research, as opposed to just the research itself. Try to quantify accomplishments to the best of your abilities. If you were put in charge of competitor research, for example, list that as one of the tasks you had in your career.

If it was a particular project, such as tracking the sale of women’s clothing at a tee-shirt company, you can say that you “directed analysis into women’s clothing sales statistics for a market research project.”

Ascertain how directly research skills relate to the job you’re applying for. How strongly you highlight your research skills should depend on the nature of the job the resume is for. If research looks to be a strong component of it, then showcase all of your experience.

If research looks to be tangential, then be sure to mention it — it’s a valuable skill — but don’t put it front and center.

Example #1: Academic Research

Simon Marks 767 Brighton Blvd. | Brooklyn, NY, 27368 | (683)-262-8883 | [email protected] Diligent and hardworking recent graduate seeking a position to develop professional experience and utilize research skills. B.A. in Biological Sciences from New York University. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Lixus Publishing , Brooklyn, NY Office Assistant- September 2018-present Scheduling and updating meetings Managing emails and phone calls Reading entries Worked on a science fiction campaign by researching target demographic Organizing calendars Promoted to office assistant after one year internship Mitch’s Burgers and Fries , Brooklyn, NY Restaurant Manager , June 2014-June 2018 Managed a team of five employees Responsible for coordinating the weekly schedule Hired and trained two employees Kept track of inventory Dealt with vendors Provided customer service Promoted to restaurant manager after two years as a waiter Awarded a $2.00/hr wage increase SKILLS Writing Scientific Research Data analysis Critical thinking Planning Communication RESEARCH Worked on an ecosystem biology project with responsibilities for algae collection and research (2019) Lead a group of freshmen in a research project looking into cell biology (2018) EDUCATION New York University Bachelors in Biological Sciences, September 2016-May 2020

Example #2: Professional Research

Angela Nichols 1111 Keller Dr. | San Francisco, CA | (663)-124-8827 |[email protected] Experienced and enthusiastic marketer with 7 years of professional experience. Seeking a position to apply my marketing and research knowledge. Skills in working on a team and flexibility. EXPERIENCE Apples amp; Oranges Marketing, San Francisco, CA Associate Marketer – April 2017-May 2020 Discuss marketing goals with clients Provide customer service Lead campaigns associated with women’s health Coordinating with a marketing team Quickly solving issues in service and managing conflict Awarded with two raises totaling $10,000 over three years Prestigious Marketing Company, San Francisco, CA Marketer – May 2014-April 2017 Working directly with clients Conducting market research into television streaming preferences Developing marketing campaigns related to television streaming services Report writing Analyzing campaign success statistics Promoted to Marketer from Junior Marketer after the first year Timberlake Public Relations, San Francisco, CA Public Relations Intern – September 2013–May 2014 Working cohesively with a large group of co-workers and supervisors Note-taking during meetings Running errands Managing email accounts Assisting in brainstorming Meeting work deadlines EDUCATION Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA Bachelor of Arts in Marketing with a minor in Communications – September 2009 – May 2013 SKILLS Marketing Market research Record-keeping Teamwork Presentation. Flexibility

What research skills are important?

Goal-setting and data collection are important research skills. Additional important research skills include:

Using different sources to analyze information.

Finding information on the internet.

Interviewing sources.

Writing reports.

Critical thinking.

Planning and scheduling.

Note-taking.

Managing time.

How do you develop good research skills?

You develop good research skills by learning how to find information from multiple high-quality sources, by being wary of confirmation bias, and by starting broad and getting more specific as you go.

When you learn how to tell a reliable source from an unreliable one and get in the habit of finding multiple sources that back up a claim, you’ll have better quality research.

In addition, when you learn how to keep an open mind about what you’ll find, you’ll avoid falling into the trap of confirmation bias, and by staying organized and narrowing your focus as you go (rather than before you start), you’ll be able to gather quality information more efficiently.

What is the importance of research?

The importance of research is that it informs most decisions and strategies in a business. Whether it’s deciding which products to offer or creating a marketing strategy, research should be used in every part of a company.

Because of this, employers want employees who have strong research skills. They know that you’ll be able to put them to work bettering yourself and the organization as a whole.

Should you put research skills on your resume?

Yes, you should include research skills on your resume as they are an important professional skill. Where you include your research skills on your resume will depend on whether you have a lot of experience in research from a previous job or as part of getting your degree, or if you’ve just cultivated them on your own.

If your research skills are based on experience, you could put them down under the tasks you were expected to perform at the job in question. If not, then you should likely list it in your skills section.

University of the People – The Best Research Skills for Success

Association of Internet Research Specialists — What are Research Skills and Why Are They Important?

MasterClass — How to Improve Your Research Skills: 6 Research Tips

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

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Top 6 ways to improve your research skills.

Not every internet resource provides accurate information. So, it is important that you learn how to recognize authentic sources of information. To find reliable online resources, you must use your critical thinking and analytical skills. Ask yourself the following questions;

Start broad, then narrow down to specifics.

The entire research process is a huge task, and it can be overwhelming for you to know where to begin. There is nothing wrong with beginning from the internet . After all, online resources like Wikipedia and Google Scholar are an excellent way to orient yourself in your preferred topic. These platforms will give you a basic overview with a somewhat brief history and key points to focus on while researching.

Learn how to identify authentic sources of information

Beyond these steps, there are essential research skills that enable writers to find the correct and impactful information for their writing projects. For example, you must understand why  defining the target population  or refining your research questions is essential and how to it. These are the research skills you must master if you want to handle research projects successfully. Here are tips to help you improve your research skills.

Keep in mind that your ability to find the right sources of information plays a key role in the success of your research project.

Verify information from different resources

It is essential to mention that the internet is a big place, and anyone can say anything they want online. Part of the information found online is published by bloggers and some authors who might not be experts in the topics they talk about. Besides, most websites don’t even evaluate their articles for factual accuracy.

For this reason, there are plenty of unreliable sources of information out there. The best way to be sure that you are getting accurate information is to ensure that whatever you find online, there are several different sources that can verify its accuracy . So, ensure that there are different sources of information that give similar facts before you use a specific online resource for your research.

Expect surprising answers

Generally, internet research is all about finding the right answers to your research question rather than a way of verifying what you think you already know. Keep in mind that looking for information is somewhat a limiting research strategy because it involves using specific information to collect, and this could prevent you from developing an accurate and in-depth understanding of your research topic.

So, ensure you keep an open mind when you conduct research so that you can gain a deeper understanding of the answers you get.

Keep your work organized.

During the data collection phase of your research process, you will be handling a huge amount of information, from PDFs and web pages to videos. It is important that you keep this information organized to avoid losing key facts or being unable to cite information correctly.

If you are using the internet to research, be sure to bookmark essential web pages on your internet browser, use index cards whenever necessary, and other ways of keeping your sources of information organized.

Don’t ignore library resources.

In case you still have unanswered questions, don’t worry. There are many places you can find help, even if you are not a student doing course-related or academic research. Indeed, most university and high school libraries provide resources for student’s research, faculty members’ research, and for the entire society. So, if you feel you still need more information after scouring the internet for answers, you may want to visit a nearby library.

There are important rules and skills that apply to nearly every research project. Your ability to source accurate and impactful is crucial to the success of your research project. Implement the tips discussed above to improve your research skills.

frequently Asked Questions

How to start a research process? A research process starts with a broad idea for a topic. Next, you must identify the problem you intend to analyze, refine your research question, lay out the foundation of your entire research design, and then create a proposal that outlines your idea and plan.

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Teaching Research Skills That Transfer to Future Projects

Exploratory research teaches skills that have lifelong use..

Updated August 1, 2024 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer

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This post is the fourth in a series.

When helping students become researchers, the goal is not only to equip students to tackle a current research project but also to ensure the learned skills will stay with them for future endeavors. Students must understand which research staples must be applied under any circumstances (like critically evaluating sources or following ethical guidelines) while maintaining the flexibility to try different approaches and make new connections. Students at Laguna Beach High School (LBHS) are learning to do just that.

In Part I of this series I spoke to Jun Shen, the passionate teacher and ed-tech coordinator who runs LBHS’s Authentic Exploratory Research (AER) program . AER is an independent research course inspired by Palo Alto Unified School District’s Advanced Authentic Research program . The program pairs students with adult mentors (such as LBUSD staff, industry experts, and academics) who assist the teens in researching their big questions in fields of their choice.

Former LBHS student Carter Ghere was the third teenager to give us an account of his experience in AER and the findings that his AER research produced. A benefit to meeting with Ghere was that he has since moved on to projects outside the AER program, such as promoting physical and mental health . The research skills Ghere honed in AER, combined with his passion for his new endeavors, show us how students can learn research skills in a way that has lasting benefits.

Jenny Grant Rankin: What can teachers do to help students research effectively, not only for current projects but also for future research endeavors?

Carter Ghere: Teachers can encourage students to think about minor aspects of the project that greatly influence the thesis rather than just the thesis question itself. When I researched car design and why it varies, I had to consider each factor that could help me build a strong argument. What started as research on cars very quickly turned into research into socioeconomics, societal upbringing, and government involvement in diplomatic events and conflict. Automotive design changed because manufacturers were competing against each other to sell more cars or improve efficiency, but mass appeal is the biggest driving aspect of change, so I had to research what changes mass appeal and where interests originate from. Laterally, researching aspects of influence opens up much research to apply to your projects, instead of searching for the answer most people already know. Teachers can teach their students how to see the hidden influences, draw conclusions themselves to strengthen their arguments, and accelerate the research process. Knowing how to do research effectively carries over a lifetime, making every new learning endeavor exciting for students instead of monotonous.

JGR: What was the most significant thing you learned about conducting research?

CG: Relevance and impact. The biggest thing I learned while I was conducting research was keeping in mind how your study affects the current information already available. It’s easy to research and quote what most people know, but genuinely effective research isn’t commonly known or even thought of; the research is supposed to question the current knowledge to create new knowledge.

JGR: What was the most significant thing you learned about communicating research or other work?

CG: Knowing your audience is the biggest thing I learned about communicating my work. Putting myself in the shoes of someone reading my work helped me curate my research to better explain my findings to someone who may need to learn about my topic or why this is important. The last thing you want your audience to feel is confusion; a clear, simple explanation of your findings helps the reader draw their connections and relate them to what they already know.

JGR: What lessons learned in AER do you find yourself applying in your current efforts to promote mental health?

CG: The research experience I have from AER accelerated the work I’ve done beyond high school. In terms of research and the actual information I give out, I know that what I’m discovering isn’t new, but the personal opinion that I have is, and that’s what AER taught me. The thoughts that I have on the subject matter of lifestyle and self-development have more relevance than just plain information.

Learning through apprenticeship and embracing the guidance of a mentor profoundly expanded my understanding. This experience made me realize the vast opportunities I still have to learn and grow. At AER, I had the chance to engage in research, connect with experts in the field, develop personal convictions that I am passionate about, ensure these ideas resonate with others, and communicate them effectively.

Ghere demonstrates what we want students to be able to do with the knowledge and skills we teach: to remember, apply, and develop them perpetually. Ideally, as in Ghere’s case, students also use their research skills to help others and improve our world. To continue reading, look for Part V .

Jenny Grant Rankin, Ph.D., is a Fulbright Specialist for the U.S. Department of State.

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Improving Global Cancer Research Skills

CGH fellowships are designed to provide support to improve global cancer research skills.

Fellowships are provided to individuals at the pre- or postdoctoral level for mentored training and skill development in specific areas of cancer research. All fellowship opportunities require work at NCI laboratories or offices in the United States. The following are the types of fellowships with details on eligibility for application and examples of the types of projects and outputs resulting from the fellowship experiences.

Short-term Scientist Exchange Program

This fellowship program is for postdoctoral research and clinician scientists from low- and middle-income countries working on cancer research. Scientists spend up to six months at NCI working on specific research projects and this serves as a step to establish scientific exchanges and collaborations between research programs at NCI and LMIC institutions. NCI has supported 15 scientists from eight countries.

This program is developed through discussions between the applicant and their mentor/s at the LMIC institutions and the investigators at an NCI research program. The Center for Global Health can facilitate these discussions.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can begin by contacting the global research training team . Please include Short-term Scientist Exchange Program in the subject line.

Postbaccalaureate Fellowships

The Cancer Research Training Award fellowship is for individuals with a bachelor’s or master’s degree (or equivalent) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. This opportunity allows fellows to work at the NCI Center for Global Health and develop skills in a range of areas.

Some topic areas of programmatic focus include technology and mHealth for cancer control in low- and middle-income countries, dissemination and implementation science, and behavioral research for cancer prevention.

Convening activities may include the Annual Symposium on Global Cancer Research , the Global Cancer Research and Control Seminar Series , and technology-enabled knowledge exchange networks via Project ECHO . Additional aspects of CGH’s work include data and evaluation and exploratory work in support of new initiatives.

Applications typically open in January of a calendar year. Interested applicants can begin by contacting the global research training team . Please include Postbaccalaureate Fellowships in the subject line.

Communications Fellowships

Fellows will support strategic communications projects across the Center with a focus on communications planning and implementation, website management, and social media strategy to increase access to NCI research resources for global audiences.

The communications fellow will function as part of a multidisciplinary team of federal staff and contractors who plan, implement, and evaluate global cancer communications activities.

Interested applicants can begin by contacting the global research training team . Please include Communications Fellowships in the subject line.

This paper is in the following e-collection/theme issue:

Published on 7.8.2024 in Vol 26 (2024)

Developing an Educational Resource Aimed at Improving Adolescent Digital Health Literacy: Using Co-Design as Research Methodology

Authors of this article:

Original Paper

• Callum C Lewis 1 , BClinSc, MD   ; 
• Melody Taba 1, 2 , BSc(Hons), MPH   ; 
• Tiffany B Allen 1 , BSc(Hons)   ; 
• Patrina HY Caldwell 1, 3 , BMed, PhD   ; 
• S Rachel Skinner 1, 3 , MBBS, PhD   ; 
• Melissa Kang 4 , MBBS, MCH, PhD   ; 
• Hamish Henderson 5 , BScIT(Hons)   ; 
• Liam Bray 5 , BA   ; 
• Madeleine Borthwick 5 , MSc(Hons)   ; 
• Philippa Collin 6 , BA(Hons), PhD   ; 
• Kirsten McCaffery 2 , BSc(Hons), PhD   ; 
• Karen M Scott 1 , BEd, MA, PhD  

1 Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia

2 Sydney Health Literacy Lab, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

3 The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia

4 General Practice Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

5 Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

6 Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University, Parramatta, Australia

Corresponding Author:

Karen M Scott, BEd, MA, PhD

Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health

The University of Sydney

The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Clinical School

Locked Bag 4001

Westmead, 2145

Phone: 61 298453385

Fax:61 298453389

Email: [email protected]

Background: Adolescence is a key developmental period that affects lifelong health and is impacted by adolescents regularly engaging with digital health information. Adolescents need digital health literacy (DHL) to effectively evaluate the quality and credibility of such information, and to navigate an increasingly complex digital health environment. Few educational resources exist to improve DHL, and few have involved adolescents during design. The co-design approach may hold utility through developing interventions with participants as design partners.

Objective: This project aimed to explore the co-design approach in developing an educational resource to improve adolescents’ DHL.

Methods: Adolescents (12-17 years old) attended 4 interactive co-design workshops (June 2021-April 2022). Participant perspectives were gathered on DHL and the design of educational resources to improve it. Data generated were analyzed through content analysis to inform educational resource development.

Results: In total, 27 participants from diverse backgrounds attended the workshops. Insight was gained into participants’ relationship with digital health information, including acceptance of its benefits and relevance, coupled with awareness of misinformation issues, revealing areas of DHL need. Participants provided suggestions for educational resource development that incorporated the most useful aspects of digital formats to develop skills across these domains. The following 4 themes were derived from participant perspectives: ease of access to digital health information, personal and social factors that impacted use, impacts of the plethora of digital information, and anonymity offered by digital sources. Initial participant evaluation of the developed educational resource was largely positive, including useful suggestions for improvement.

Conclusions: Co-design elicited and translated authentic adolescent perspectives and design ideas into a functional educational resource. Insight into adolescents’ DHL needs generated targeted educational resource content, with engaging formats, designs, and storylines. Co-design holds promise as an important and empowering tool for developing interventions to improve adolescents’ DHL.

Introduction

Adolescence is a foundational developmental period, influencing lifelong well-being through the establishment of lifestyle and behavioral choices [ 1 ]. Adolescents may be exposed to many changes and potential risks, including first encounters with sexual behaviors, substance use, and mental illness, and are, hence, a priority group for health promotion [ 2 ]. The digital age has transformed adolescence, representing a new landscape for lived experience and challenges in navigating health concerns [ 3 ]. Adolescents frequently seek digital health information [ 4 , 5 ], with a vast majority engaging with it on websites and social media [ 6 ], often using mobile devices [ 7 ].

Digital formats provide a private space for health information seeking, which is particularly beneficial for sensitive health domains, including sexual health [ 8 ]. The quantity of digital health information available [ 9 ] alleviates information poverty, which was previously encountered by adolescents wanting to access targeted health information [ 10 ]. The currency of information [ 9 ], alongside the ability to share personal perspectives [ 11 ], further promotes uptake.

Despite the frequent use of digital health information by adolescents, awareness of its highly variable quality has engendered a lack of trust [ 12 ]. Heightened risks to adolescent health exist due to insufficient regulation of digital health information [ 13 ], particularly given poor quality information is frequently disseminated, often driven by commercial interests [ 14 ]. This has been accentuated in the current era where misinformation, which adolescents often struggle to identify [ 15 ], is frequently published on the internet, including social media, as exemplified by the COVID-19 “infodemic” [ 16 ].

Digital health information can impact adolescents’ engagement with health care providers, including decisions about how and when to attend health facilities [ 17 , 18 ], or decisions to self-manage care [ 19 ]. Risks due to poor quality information and delayed health care presentations can potentially cause harm [ 20 ]. Conversely, opportunity exists to support health engagement if information is accurate and appropriate [ 9 , 21 ]. Given the importance of digital health information, adolescents’ ability to assess its quality needs to be optimized [ 22 ].

Digital health literacy (DHL), “the ability to find, evaluate, appraise, integrate, and apply health information from online environments” [ 23 ] denotes the multifaceted skills required to assess credibility of digital health information [ 24 ]. Adolescents often lack these important digital health literacy skills [ 25 ]. In particular, adolescents frequently use ineffective heuristics [ 26 ], rather than objective criteria [ 27 ], to appraise digital health information, often prioritizing relevance and accessibility over credibility [ 28 , 29 ].

Social cognitive theory (SCT) offers a useful lens through which to analyze DHL. It describes how learning and behavior is influenced by a dynamic interrelationship between a person, their behavior, and their surrounding multifactorial context [ 30 ]. Self-efficacy, the notion of individuals trusting their own ability, is a core SCT concept that is understood to be key for effective learning [ 31 ], including for building and sustaining DHL skills [ 32 ]. However, evidence suggests adolescents frequently overestimate their abilities, perpetuating the impacts of misinformation encountered [ 27 - 29 ]. Education to improve DHL is, therefore, vital, given that higher DHL is associated with positive health behaviors [ 33 ], health care engagement, and overall well-being [ 34 , 35 ].

While adolescents’ DHL deficits are increasingly acknowledged, there are few resources that target its improvement, and the literature on resource development is limited. A 2012 trial of a digital classroom resource, which featured instructional DHL content around nutrition and exercise, recommended that intervention designers work more actively with adolescents to ensure relevance, engagement, and efficacy [ 36 ]. Self-directed educational resources that are accessible on demand have been deemed beneficial [ 37 ], as have digitized formats, due to the engagement and accessibility afforded by these platforms [ 38 ].

Co-design may offer an effective means to produce such educational resources [ 29 ]. Avoiding traditional “top-down” [ 39 ] approaches, or mere stakeholder consultations, interventions are instead built with the target population [ 39 ] as design partners throughout all phases [ 40 ]. As a novel method to close “the translational research gap” [ 41 ], co-design may improve the relevance and impact of educational resources by ensuring they are consumer driven and consumer centered [ 42 ]. Executed using various formats, past trials have used interactive workshops to involve adolescents [ 43 ] and articulate research questions into functional products [ 39 ], including most recently for mobile app–based mental health interventions [ 44 , 45 ]. Activities can generate creative solutions, through physical “artefacts,” to inform educational resource generation. Evaluation workshops between participants and designers can then ascertain whether the solution effectively responds to participant needs and perspectives, closing the co-design cycle ( Figure 1 ) [ 42 ].

Having grown up in the digital age, most adolescents are proficient with common digital technologies, such as the internet and social media, though such proficiency may not be transferred to all forms of technology [ 26 ]. Nevertheless, most adolescents are able to effectively express their perspectives on DHL issues and corresponding educational needs [ 26 ]. As such, co-design with adolescents holds promise for development of web-based educational resources, despite limited existing research with this participant group [ 39 ]. Our study aimed to explore the co-design approach, based on Hagen et al [ 42 ] ( Figure 1 ) to develop an adolescent DHL educational resource through a series of interactive workshops. Insight was sought into the influence of co-design on educational resource generation by understanding adolescents’ experience with digital health information and DHL needs, and their design preferences.

This study involved a qualitative co-design methodology, whereby 4 interactive workshops were held with adolescent participants from June 2021 to April 2022. Data generated were analyzed through inductive content analysis [ 46 ] to inform the development of an educational resource with the aim of improving users’ DHL ( Figure 2 ).

Ethical Considerations

This research project was approved by Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network Human Research Ethics Committee (2020/ETH00578).

The participants, who were minors, gave their informed assent, and their parent or guardian gave their informed consent, to participate in this research study. To protect participant privacy, all study data were deidentified prior to analysis.

Participants were each provided with an AUS $50 gift card (approximately US $35 at the time of the study) for use at a range of stores as compensation for their time.

To understand adolescent participants' experiences with digital health information, perspectives on DHL issues, and to ascertain their educational needs, 3 co-design workshops were organized. The workshops also sought to generate design solutions for an educational resource that could develop user skills in appraising digital health information. Interactive activities during workshops generated physical artefacts, such as design maps and sketches, which were collected for data analysis ( Table 1 ) [ 43 ].

These activities were designed in line with SCT to foster participant collaboration in a safe, peer-based environment [ 30 ] in which interactive activities enable learning through the dynamic interrelationship of personal attitudes, behavior, and the environment [ 30 ]. The activities align with prior literature calling for the development of DHL interventions through co-design, which encompasses use of practical activities to explore and improve adolescents’ self-efficacy and behavior related to DHL [ 29 ]. A design meeting was held among the researchers and the software design team developing the resource to translate workshop findings into educational resource designs. An evaluation workshop with adolescent participants was then conducted to obtain participant feedback on a pilot educational resource. The design meeting and evaluation workshop align with the final phases of the co-design framework, which seek to develop, evaluate, and refine interventions with adolescents ( Figure 1 ) [ 42 ].

Co-design facilitators were multidisciplinary academics and research students: a medical educator with experience in eLearning and literacy (KMS), a pediatric clinical academic and child and adolescent health researcher (PHYC), a social scientist focusing on the digital and young people (PC), public health and medical student researchers (MT, CCL, and TBA) and design computing academics and software designers (LB, HH, and MB).

Participants

Participants were adolescents aged 12-17 years, representing the high school aged population the educational resource was targeted toward. Recruitment involved advertising on flyers, social media, and through word-of-mouth dissemination. The purposive recruitment strategy sought to capture a heterogenous sample despite a small overall size: we aimed to recruit participants who were of differing ages, genders and cultural backgrounds to enhance the diversity of the perspectives obtained [ 47 ], and the broad appeal and relevance of the educational resource. For each workshop, recruitment continued until a quota was met, which was set to facilitate small group sizes to enable interactive and collaborative activities. Participants were free to attend as many workshops as they wished: they were reinvited to any subsequent workshops to increase the continuity of the co-design participation cycle [ 42 ], while new participants were also invited to ensure diversity of perspectives.

Data Collection

Artefacts collected from the workshops ( Table 1 ) were physical documents, featuring writing and drawings (examples in Figure 3 ). Artefacts were collected at the completion of each workshop, and subsequently scanned for digitization and analysis.

Data Analysis

Data analysis involved content analysis of the artefacts generated using NVivo (Release 1.6, QSR International) data management software [ 48 ]. This included review and familiarization with the data before iterative coding of the data features in scanned artefacts by CCL using the NVivo pictorial coding tool. An inductive approach was used [ 46 ], whereby analysis of the data set informed the codes generated, which comprised recurrent features and ideas in the artefacts. This resulted in the iterative generation of themes, ensuring their relevance to the data [ 49 ]. This was completed through an initial categorization of recurrent codes by CCL, with researcher triangulation through analysis meetings with KMS and MT in the first instance, later joined by PHYC, which offered multiple perspectives on coding decisions, enhancing credibility [ 50 ]. Through discussion and researcher consensus, similar codes were grouped into concepts and broader categories, which became the themes and subthemes in the data, prior to in-depth analysis and interpretation. Credibility was also developed through obtaining data from multiple workshops with a range of participants.

Results are displayed through a conceptual mind map, generated through diagrams.net (JGraph Ltd) software [ 51 ].

In total, 27 adolescents participated in the face-to-face co-design workshops: 7 at workshop 1 and 15 at workshops 2 and 3 (which were held on one day [morning then afternoon] with the same participants), and 5 at workshop 4, the pilot evaluation, which was conducted via web-based platforms because of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. Participants were of diverse backgrounds, with a mix of genders, ages (12-16 years), and ethnicities (Anglo-Australian, Chinese, Egyptian, Italian, Latin American, Lebanese, and Taiwanese). Seven participants attended multiple workshop days, including 1 participant who attended all 4 workshops.

Participants’ relationship with digital health information was one of duality—indicating an acceptance of its benefits and relevance in their lives, while having an awareness of its dangers in perpetuating misinformation. This revealed areas of DHL educational need, particularly surrounding appraisal of digital health information quality ( Figure 4 ). Participant-derived educational solutions targeting these issues ( Figure 5 ) highlighted the need for an accessible, self-directed digital resource aligning with participants’ priorities for educational flexibility and autonomy. The educational resource designs that were generated incorporated the most useful aspects of the digital domain to enhance adolescents’ engagement, alongside content that targeted credibility issues at the core of DHL ( Figure 6 ). Through the analysis of these issues and design solutions, we identified 4 key themes: ease of access to digital health information, users’ personal and social factors impacting use of DHL, impacts of the plethora of digital health information available, and anonymity offered by digital sources. These themes are detailed below, each with an analysis of participants’ perspectives and needs, and corresponding design solutions, followed by participant feedback on the pilot educational resource that was created.

Ease of Access to Digital Health Information

User perspective and needs.

Participants perceived ease of access to digital technology as underpinning their frequent use of digital health information, which satisfied their need for succinct, understandable, and engaging information. They preferred visual, and particularly video, formats due to their engaging nature, with younger adolescents especially accessing video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok as their first engagement with a social media network. Participants appreciated animated and image-based content for easily communicating concepts. Some perceived that video features increased credibility, even in cases of misinformation, and the aesthetic appearance of platforms was important in determining quality. Participants identified quizzes as an engaging means of understanding and retaining information. Most participants identified mobile devices as a key driver of use, allowing engagement with information across many times and locations, with search engines offering easy access to perceived credible information. Participants indicated that they appraised search results using simple heuristics, including use of website title format and presence of keywords such as “health” in URLs to predict engagement and perception of credibility. They believed the digital domain offered easier engagement with credible sources. This included “verified” profiles (indicated by a blue tick) on social media platforms, which some believed meant content was fact-checked, when at the time of the study it instead signified that the profile belonged to an authentic identity.

Co-Designed Educational Solutions

In line with their desires for engaging, highly interactive and concise content, participants envisaged an educational platform of “choose-your-own-adventure-style” stories, featuring branching storylines and plot decision points. This was implemented with content comprised of “ TikTok -style” videos, which adopted the form’s archetypal features, such as short duration (<3 min), fast pace and satirical tone, adding to the educational resource’s cultural appeal. Videos also featured topic experts explaining DHL concepts and strategies for assessing credibility. As participants desired summaries to consolidate learning, this was enacted using a final video in each storyline, encompassing the educational resource’s cardinal learning points. Catering to participants’ device usage, the user interface has a minimalist “mobile-first” design, featuring a scrollable content carousel and smooth page transitions. Shortcut tabs and drop-down menus linking to specific content afford learning flexibility, with an emphasis on visual features to improve accessibility. Quizzes offer points of revision following videos and include identification of features reflecting credibility on emulated health websites. Automated answers with feedback are provided to enhance their educational benefit. Content includes explanations about the differences between credible and noncredible information, and how to screen search results for credibility.

Personal and Social Factors Impacting Digital Health Information Use

Participants identified a range of personal and social aspects of adolescent users that affect how they engage with digital health information, including psychological, situational, and peer circumstances. The web and social media–based offering of interactive, personalized information was highly appealing, such as through customization of profiles and content. This included recommended content in newsfeeds, and participants relating to others’ experiences through content sharing and facilities such as forums, messaging features, and comments. This was despite participants often finding such content noncredible, identifying social media “influencers” as a pertinent example of how unqualified individuals can propagate misinformation. Platforms that cater to specific interests and cultural and linguistic groups, such as WeChat , which caters for a Chinese population, were popular, along with a preference for educational resources that offer accessibility for the visually and hearing impaired. Participants indicated that family and peers on digital platforms can increase engagement with health information, but also share misinformation. Some found situational factors, such as restrictions to access or content, as a barrier to digital health information use. Conversely, the availability of web and social media–based information meant many only visited health professionals when necessitated by serious situations. Participants indicated that a lack of knowledge and familiarity with specific health topics reduced their engagement and ability to detect incorrect content. For example, they were more likely to trust hyperbolized and inaccurate health content in difficult situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, participants found that having existing knowledge of the scientific consensus on an issue can aid identification of misinformation.

The educational resource design was based on storylines featuring a themed journey layout (eg, health preparations before a music festival) to frame users’ progress through it. A live action video format was adopted as a low-resource alternative for participants’ suggestion of an animated avatar with customizable features representing the user. A plot device involved encountering recommended health content on search engine results that leads the character to investigate further, reflecting participants’ experience of often finding health information coincidentally, especially on social media. Captions were developed for video sections to assist users with hearing impairment.

Three storylines, derived from participants, were developed and included in the educational resource. These include a storyline about finding ways to ease gastrointestinal symptoms, based on participant feedback that stories about sensitive issues are compelling. A plotline about deciding whether to get vaccinated against influenza (as an alternative infectious diseases scenario given participants’ interest in COVID-19) was also featured due to participants finding contextually relevant stories engaging. A third storyline involved searching for ways to ease exercise injuries, which was included due to sports injuries being a common target for health products, and its appeal to male demographics.

Educational design solutions targeted difficulties with appraising information about these technical topics through simple explanations about identifying a source’s purpose, message, language, author, date, and provider or funding. A disclaimer—to always seek advice from qualified health professionals—was included in the homepage and throughout the resource due to the potentially significant personal impacts of using digital health information.

Impacts of the Plethora of Digital Information Available

Participants indicated that the variety and magnitude of health information available on the web and social media impacted engagement. This abundance overwhelmed some or resulted in discouragement if the information was hyperbolic or inflammatory. While accessing information through multiple sources enabled cross-checking, which was believed to be universally important in assessing credibility, it sometimes led to participants falsely verifying sources due to the republishing of misinformation. This included mainstream media reporting on misinformation. Having reputable sources directly discredit such stories was regarded as effective by participants. Participants perceived the presence of author qualifications increased trust in a source, while the currency of information was important for its utility. Transparent referencing and links to further credible information were appreciated.

Content in the educational resource was based on research into areas of DHL educational need undertaken by the research team, aligning with participant perspectives that authorship by health professionals and educators with listed qualifications and associations with health authorities builds trust. This was coupled with participants’ contributions at co-design workshops, which included their learning priorities and identified areas of DHL deficit, to generate relevant learning content.

Educational design ideas focused on content explaining how to systematically assess source credibility. This included ascertaining whether supporting scientific evidence and multiple perspectives or treatment options are included, the importance of a recent publication date, and how to effectively cross-check information with credible sources. Information about indicators of credible content, such as relevant author health qualifications, was also included. Guided by participants’ suggestions to build trust, the educational resource was developed by experts with listed qualifications and association with well-known health and educational authorities.

Anonymity Offered by Digital Sources

Participants perceived anonymity when engaging with digital health information to be a core benefit of the digital domain because health topics they viewed were often seen as sensitive or embarrassing. They preferred to use mobile devices because they offered physical privacy from those around them, including peers and family. Participants considered the commercial motivations of web and social media–based publishers as detrimental to credibility, disliking targeted advertisements based on search history as they breached privacy.

Accordingly, an advertisement-free platform to build trust was implemented. Content about how to identify digital marketing was integrated due to participant interest, including the algorithms and mechanisms behind targeted advertising, and how it exploits users’ confirmation bias to accept false ideas. Content was also included about how integrated health advertising on health information sites can reduce credibility due to conflicts of interest. Content was generated identifying a need to recognize source funding and its impact on information quality, including “influencers” and the commercial partnerships that may underlie their personal stories.

Educational Resource Feedback

During the pilot evaluation, many participants recognized their designs and stories in the educational resource, which they appreciated, and indicated it made the resource age-appropriate. They found the user interface to be sleek, visually appealing and easy-to-navigate, responding to their desire for a mobile-first platform. Participants also appreciated the fast pace of the video storylines, finding them concise and engaging, enjoying the “choose-your-own-adventure-style” format. For participants, this interactivity was enhanced by the ability to re-explore storylines and alternate subplots by making different decisions. The narrative and character-driven format were enjoyed, especially through the inclusion of fictitious but believable web and social media–based health personalities.

Some users would have liked the educational resource to be compatible with desktop formats, along with the inclusion of accessibility features, such as catering for sensory impairment and featuring different languages. Despite finding the educational resource age appropriate, some participants indicated the quizzes were too easy, suggesting additional levels of complexity for advanced users. This mirrored their proposals for more nuanced storylines that could explore further content with a less predictable plot. Additionally, participants desired more dramatic and engaging videos to convey the plot, including more apparent consequences for making poor decisions based on health information. Some suggested that content summary videos, which feature at the end of each storyline, could be personalized to the user’s in-game decision-making to enhance relevance.

Principal Findings

The stepwise approach of this study, from initial exploratory workshops to educational design generation, implementation, and evaluation, has enabled the application of the co-design model to the DHL context, yielding a functional and youth-centered product. Co-design elicited authentic adolescent perspectives, encapsulated by the 4 themes regarding digital health information use: ease of access to digital health information, users’ personal and social factors, the plethora of information, and anonymity offered by digital sources. These perspectives encompassed participants’ DHL needs and were addressed through the generation of teaching areas in the educational resource. Targeted educational solutions regarding the most effective modalities and designs were also generated and implemented through integration of participant, researcher, and designer perspectives. The approach enabled the generation of storylines, examples of credible and noncredible sources, and content tone that are highly relevant to an adolescent audience, enhancing potential engagement with and impact of the educational resource.

The results reflect the benefit of co-design in capturing adolescents’ perspectives on their DHL needs, aligning with research into adolescents’ proficiency in this area, despite limited prior engagement in intervention development [ 26 ]. Co-design transformed adolescents’ viewpoints into functional educational resource content. In keeping with the importance of social context in Social Cognitive Theory [ 30 ] and to influence DHL learning and self-efficacy [ 32 ], adolescents’ perspectives were successfully elicited through interactive workshop activities that prompted collaborative social engagement. Ease of access to digital health information, a well-discussed driver of adolescent use [ 52 ], underpinned the educational resource’s teaching points, which included identifying noncredible features of information quickly and effectively. Through these teaching points, the educational resource seeks to improve DHL skillsets by targeting the popular but often ineffective heuristics used to assess credibility, such as website names or professional appearance [ 26 , 28 ]. Identification of the personal and social factors affecting digital health information use, and the impact of the diverse information available, generated content that teaches objective appraisal skills that can be universally used [ 27 ]. Storylines about sensitive health issues, such as gastrointestinal symptoms, were implemented as they reflect participants’ preference for the anonymity offered by digital platforms, aligning with prior findings [ 8 ].

The co-design approach also generated effective modalities and designs for the educational resource for engagement with the adolescent target audience. Ease of access underpinned the DHL needs identified and educational solutions adopted, with strong preference for video as a digital health information format [ 25 ]. The educational resource design used these findings as a framework, with short “ TikTok -style” videos acting as core content within a minimalist mobile-first design, responding to adolescents’ preferred engagement with mobile platforms [ 7 ]. Quizzes were incorporated in response to participants suggesting “gamification” [ 53 ] features to enhance engagement. In line with Social Cognitive Theory, they may also enhance learning by providing positive feedback to increase user self-efficacy [ 31 ]. Similarly, although not implemented, log-in and favorite features, and a themed journey with a customizable avatar, was recurrently suggested by participants, exemplifying how personalization and targeted information brings salience to resources [ 10 ].

Co-design enabled the generation of specific storylines and content tone that are highly relevant to the adolescent audience, enhancing potential engagement and impact of the educational resource. The interactive video “choose-your-own- adventure-style” format was key to enabling ease of use, as was the integration of authentic cultural references, such as “viral” social media trends, which were found to be important social factors underpinning engagement. This is mirrored by Paek and Hove’s [ 36 ] prior calls for more effective integration of adolescents’ perspectives to enhance the personal relevance and efficacy of educational interventions. Incorporated plot devices, such as a teenager coincidentally encountering a health topic on a social media feed, which leads them to undertake a search, were found by participants to be very common occurrences, paralleling their frequent use of social media to engage with health information [ 6 ]. Similarly, subplots regarding “influencers” and sponsored posts were identified and included in the educational resource to add relevance, given their prominence as a DHL issue [ 14 , 52 ]. The capture and implementation of these nuanced references builds upon the use of co-design in different social and cultural contexts, reflecting its versatility [ 41 ].

The design meeting, which featured both the research and design teams, was an important aspect of this study’s structure, translating workshop findings into formulated content and development plans through collating and filtering participant ideas. For example, in line with recent literature, COVID-19 was a key suggested topic that exemplified DHL needs [ 15 , 23 ] and was featured in multiple suggested storylines to enhance realism. However, the research and resource development teams implemented an alternative influenza vaccine setting as they believed relying on the current COVID-19 context may reduce educational resource longevity. Although this illustrates a disparity between participant and academic ideology [ 43 ], the multistage nature of co-design [ 39 ] in this instance generated many other implementable features that embody adolescents’ ideas. The use of interactive collaborative activities to structure the design meeting were in line with the Social Cognitive Theoretical framework and co-design approach [ 43 ]. The meeting aligned with prior workshop findings that adolescents perceived reputable sources to be effective at debunking misinformation and wanted expert consensus to shape the educational resource. While this stage of the methods may be incongruous with purist co-design theory, which prioritizes participant involvement during every development phase [ 42 ], the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and project time and resource limitations prevented scheduling of an additional workshop to engage with adolescents at this content development stage.

The feedback obtained through the pilot evaluation workshop was useful in offering an initial indication as to whether the educational resource had adequately responded to the participants’ needs and perspectives. The workshop was largely positive and constructive comments about improvements to the design, plot, and content of the resource led to fine-tuning before finalization. However, time and budget limitations resulted in some of these suggestions being noted but not implemented, presenting areas for further development in subsequent projects. Participants expressed enjoyment in being included in the co-design process, with the final feedback stage important in closing the cycle of participant engagement [ 42 ].

Implications and Recommendations

This study’s co-design approach demonstrates significant translational benefit through the articulation of adolescents’ DHL perspectives and needs (many of which are in line with previous findings [ 9 , 26 , 29 , 54 ]) into implemented educational resource solutions [ 41 ]. The qualitative methodology held great utility in authentically exploring participants’ ideas in a comfortable, peer-based environment. Mixed methods evaluation of the educational resource is needed to determine the effectiveness of the co-design approach [ 55 ].

Limitations

Although small, the participant sample was heterogeneous. Nevertheless, the sample contained some similar demographics; in particular, all participants were from metropolitan areas as planned recruitment in rural and remote regions was canceled because of social restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic [ 56 ]. Time limitations due to delays in participant recruitment during COVID-19 lockdowns also prevented participant involvement in storyline plot generation. However, as noted by participants in the pilot evaluation workshop, participants’ design ideas were largely adopted and transformed into a functional product. Time and financial constraints limited the educational resource from featuring avatars, animations, and multiple language options, despite participant suggestions. Proposed social networking features, including sharing, forums, and messaging features, were also excluded as their ongoing moderation was beyond logistical constraints. These may reveal potential directions for future development.

Conclusions

This study offers novel insights into the implementation and impact of the co-design approach with adolescents to generate DHL educational resources, responding to prior calls for investigation in this area. The workshop format was useful in eliciting authentic adolescent perspectives and enabling their translation to underpin an engaging and functional educational resource that responds to adolescents’ needs. Given these positive initial findings, co-design holds promise as an important tool for developing interventions that could improve DHL in adolescents.

Acknowledgments

Sincere thanks to Ms Charlotte Frazer, Ms Mia Rowe and Mr Toby Rowe for their time and acting contributions for the mis-Adventures app. Funding for this study was provided by the Australian Government, through the 2020 Australian Research Council Discovery Project “ Enhancing adolescents’ health through digital health literacy. ”

Authors' Contributions

Conceptualization of this study was by KMS and PHYC, who also received input from SRS, MK and KMC. Funding acquisition was undertaken by KMS in conjunction with PHYC, SRS, MK, and KMC. Project administration was undertaken by MT and KMS, with CCL also supporting. KMS, with PHYC, played key supervision roles. Methodology was developed by KMS and PHYC, with input from SRS, MK, KMC, MT, HH, and PC. MT oversaw resources in this study, with HH, LB, MB, KMS, and CCL also assisting. Investigation was completed by HH, LB, MB, PC, MT, KMS, CCL, PHYC, and TBA. Data curation was completed by CCL, with assistance from MT and KMS. Formal analysis was undertaken by CCL, in collaboration with KMS, MT, and PHYC, who were essential in data validation. The development of mis-Adventures was undertaken by HH, LB, and MB. Visualization of data ( Figures 4 and 5 ) was completed by CCL, with input from KMS, PHYC, and MT. This manuscript was drafted by CCL, in collaboration with KMS, and with critical review and editing from KMS, PHYC, MT, and CCL.

The authors attest that generative artificial intelligence has not been used in any portion of this manuscript.

Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

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Abbreviations

Edited by T de Azevedo Cardoso, S Ma; submitted 06.06.23; peer-reviewed by PC-I Pang, JR Bautista; comments to author 25.10.23; revised version received 24.11.23; accepted 16.05.24; published 07.08.24.

©Callum C Lewis, Melody Taba, Tiffany B Allen, Patrina HY Caldwell, S Rachel Skinner, Melissa Kang, Hamish Henderson, Liam Bray, Madeleine Borthwick, Philippa Collin, Kirsten McCaffery, Karen M Scott. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 07.08.2024.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (ISSN 1438-8871), is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

• Introduction
• Conclusions
• Article Information

VCA indicates video-based communication assessment.

Video-based communication assessment feedback components include the case text and video prompt available for review (A), personal overall rating from the panel of crowdsourced raters (orange) and peer average (blue) (B), buttons that play the recorded response to this vignette and an exemplar response from a highly rated peer (C), and learning points derived from crowdsourced advice about what they would like the physician to say in this situation (D). Reprinted with permission from the National Board of Medical Examiners.

The vertical line represents the median, the white bar represents the IQR, the horizontal line represents 1.5 times the IQR, and the dots represent outliers. The curve represents an estimation of the distribution shape of the data.

Trial Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

eTable 1. Video communication assessment cases used in a randomized controlled trial of an intervention designed to improve resident adverse event communication skills

eTable 2. Demographics of laypeople crowdsourced via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) who provided attentive ratings of resident adverse event communication skills

eTable 3. VCA ratings at Time 1 (baseline)

eTable 4. ANCOVA table for the impact of feedback and disclosure exposure on time 2 scores

Data Sharing Statement

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White AA , King AM , D’Addario AE, et al. Crowdsourced Feedback to Improve Resident Physician Error Disclosure Skills : A Randomized Clinical Trial . JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(8):e2425923. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.25923

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Crowdsourced Feedback to Improve Resident Physician Error Disclosure Skills : A Randomized Clinical Trial

• 1 Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
• 2 National Board of Medical Examiners, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 3 Collaborative for Accountability and Improvement, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
• 4 Department of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
• 5 Department of Pediatrics, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
• 6 Department of Bioethics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
• 7 Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts

Question   Is crowdsourced feedback from laypeople an effective educational intervention to improve resident physicians’ error disclosure communication skills?

Findings   In this randomized clinical trial including 146 second-year internal medicine and family medicine residents, practice with simulation software followed by feedback from crowdsourced laypeople was associated with a modest increase in communication ratings on a 5-point scale among residents who reviewed their feedback.

Meaning   The findings from this trial suggest that self-directed review of crowdsourced feedback is an effective way for residency programs to address their requirement to prepare trainees for communicating with patients after medical harm.

Importance   Residents must prepare for effective communication with patients after medical errors. The video-based communication assessment (VCA) is software that plays video of a patient scenario, asks the physician to record what they would say, engages crowdsourced laypeople to rate audio recordings of physician responses, and presents feedback to physicians.

Objective   To evaluate the effectiveness of VCA feedback in resident error disclosure skill training.

Design, Setting, and Participants   This single-blinded, randomized clinical trial was conducted from July 2022 to May 2023 at 7 US internal medicine and family medicine residencies (10 total sites). Participants were second-year residents attending required teaching conferences. Data analysis was performed from July to December 2023.

Intervention   Residents completed 2 VCA cases at time 1 and were randomized to the intervention, an individual feedback report provided in the VCA application after 2 weeks, or to control, in which feedback was not provided until after time 2. Residents completed 2 additional VCA cases after 4 weeks (time 2).

Main Outcomes and Measures   Panels of crowdsourced laypeople rated recordings of residents disclosing simulated medical errors to create scores on a 5-point scale. Reports included learning points derived from layperson comments. Mean time 2 ratings were compared to test the hypothesis that residents who had access to feedback on their time 1 performance would score higher at time 2 than those without feedback access. Residents were surveyed about demographic characteristics, disclosure experience, and feedback use. The intervention’s effect was examined using analysis of covariance.

Results   A total of 146 residents (87 [60.0%] aged 25-29 years; 60 female [41.0%]) completed the time 1 VCA, and 103 (70.5%) completed the time 2 VCA (53 randomized to intervention and 50 randomized to control); of those, 28 (54.9%) reported reviewing their feedback. Analysis of covariance found a significant main effect of feedback between intervention and control groups at time 2 (mean [SD] score, 3.26 [0.45] vs 3.14 [0.39]; difference, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.08-0.48; P  = .01). In post hoc comparisons restricted to residents without prior disclosure experience, intervention residents scored higher than those in the control group at time 2 (mean [SD] score, 3.33 [0.43] vs 3.09 [0.44]; difference, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.01-0.48; P  = .007). Worse performance at time 1 was associated with increased likelihood of dropping out before time 2 (odds ratio, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.06-7.84; P  = .04).

Conclusions and Relevance   In this randomized clinical trial, self-directed review of crowdsourced feedback was associated with higher ratings of internal medicine and family medicine residents’ error disclosure skill, particularly for those without real-life error disclosure experience, suggesting that such feedback may be an effective way for residency programs to address their requirement to prepare trainees for communicating with patients after medical harm.

Trial Registration   ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06234085

Following harmful medical errors, physicians often feel ill-equipped to communicate with patients and families. 1 - 4 Incomplete or poor physician communication magnifies the pain and uncertainty experienced by patients and impairs efforts to improve patient safety. 5 , 6 To better prepare physicians, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires that all residents receive training and practice in adverse event disclosure to patients. 7 However, 23% of US residencies provided no such training in 2021. 8 Most other programs provided only informal training or lectures, approaches that are necessary but likely insufficient. Lectures do not ensure communication skill acquisition, and informal training falls short because real-life disclosure is unpredictable and often concludes without formative feedback from supervisors or harmed patients. 9 - 12 To supplement lectures and bedside learning, educators need practical tools for residents to practice simulated medical error disclosure and receive reliable, patient-centered formative feedback. The video-based communication assessment (VCA) is software for this purpose, but limited evidence exists regarding its effectiveness.

The VCA provides physicians with practice and feedback on their communication skills. 13 It presents videos of vignettes and prompts users to audio-record what they would say to the patient. Recorded responses are rated by web-based panels of laypeople responding as if they were the patient in the scenario. 14 The laypeople are recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a crowdsourcing website with a large and diverse participant population. 15 , 16 Physicians receive feedback reports with summary ratings of their performance, average peer scores, learning points derived from raters’ comments, and audio of highly rated peer responses. VCA feedback reports are designed to support self-directed communication skill learning through multiple aspects of deliberate practice. 17 - 19 First, learning points reinforce desired behaviors and help learners to reconstruct task knowledge around the approach desired by patients. Second, listening to exemplars aids the conceptualization of ideal performance on specific communication subtasks. For example, cases are organized around challenging questions raised by patients that physicians may struggle to address without training and practice 1 (eg, “Why did this happen?” or “Who is going to pay for this care?”). Third, personal ratings help learners to gauge relative performance and determine areas for further practice.

In prior studies, 20 , 21 the VCA proved highly acceptable and feasible for preparing learners for common communication scenarios, and raters generated high-quality, actionable feedback. For VCA cases presenting harmful medical errors, panels of crowdsourced laypeople provided ratings that were consistent with those of patients with personal experience with harmful error. 22 In a single-site pre-post pilot study involving paid resident volunteers from 3 specialties, standalone VCA practice without a didactic curriculum was associated with an increase in ratings of residents’ error disclosure skills. 23 Because the effectiveness of the VCA has not been assessed, we sought to test the effect of formative feedback delivered by VCA with a large multisite cohort as part of an error disclosure curriculum. This article describes a randomized clinical trial to test the hypothesis that residents’ error disclosure skills, as assessed by laypeople, would improve after reviewing reports with personal performance feedback and recommendations for effective error disclosure.

From July 2022 through May 2023, we conducted a single-blinded, multicenter, randomized clinical trial of the effect of crowdsourced ratings and feedback on postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) internal medicine (IM) and family medicine (FM) resident physicians’ medical error communication skills (see the trial protocol in Supplement 1 ). The University of Washington institutional review board ruled this study exempt from review. Participants were not compensated. No VCA results were shared with residency faculty. Risks and benefits were explained verbally; participation was considered to indicate consent. Residents could participate in the training and opt out of research. This report follows the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials ( CONSORT ) reporting guideline for randomized studies. 24

Participants attended IM and FM residencies at 7 US academic medical centers: University of Washington, Seattle (IM and FM); University of Washington, Boise (IM); Washington State University, Everett (IM); Beaumont University (IM at Dearborn and Royal Oak, FM at Wayne and Troy); Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (IM); University of Massachusetts, Worcester (IM); and Washington University, St. Louis (IM). Each residency participated during a 4- to 8-week window chosen by program leaders to optimize PGY2 residents’ availability. Before the study, none of the residencies provided programwide required error disclosure training. We chose IM and FM residencies because of their large size and shared familiarity with medical cases involving adults. We enrolled only PGY2 residents to control for years of training and simplify scheduling. Residents were eligible for the study if they were on any clinical or nonclinical rotation that provided protected time to attend the teaching conference chosen by their program for VCA practice. Residents were not eligible if they were on leave at the time of the study.

Programs assigned all eligible PGY2 residents to attend a 75-minute teaching session at time 1, consisting of 50 minutes of lecture about communication with patients after medical errors, 20 minutes of VCA practice with 2 cases (containing 4 and 3 sequenced vignettes, respectively), and 5 minutes of debrief. At time 2, residents attended a session consisting of 25 minutes of lecture about institutional programs to support clinicians with error disclosure and 20 minutes of VCA practice with 2 additional cases (3 sequenced vignettes each). The recommended duration between time 1 and time 2 was 4 weeks, although the conference schedule at 2 residencies required an interval of 5 to 8 weeks for some residents. The training took place during regularly scheduled conferences for PGY2 residents. The lectures were delivered over video conference by investigators experienced with communication skills training (A.A.W. and T.H.G.). The lecture was adapted from published curricula and modified to highlight site-specific event review policies and clinician support systems. 25 , 26 Residents were encouraged to complete the VCA during the allocated conference time, but could complete it within 5 days if necessary. The study ended when all teaching conferences organized by programs had concluded.

Residents who completed the VCA at time 1 were randomized in 1:1 fashion to either receive feedback before time 2 (intervention) or after time 2 (control) ( Figure 1 ). Block randomization was performed centrally in variable block sizes, before time 1 responses were scored, by a coinvestigator (A.E.D.) with access to lists of the nonidentifying coded usernames of residents who completed time 1. Investigators and raters were blinded to assignments. Residents were unblinded after feedback was released. Intervention residents received automated emails when their feedback was available, instructing them to review it in the application (app) before the next teaching session and VCA practice. Feedback was typically provided 2 weeks after VCA use to allow for completion of rating and data quality checks. Reports presented an interactive feedback display within the VCA app for each vignette ( Figure 2 ). We asked residents receiving the intervention not to discuss feedback with colleagues to avoid contamination.

The VCA app used in this study has been described previously. 13 , 18 Users entered the app with a personal login and password to access vignettes or review feedback. This study used 4 cases, including 2 previously described cases (a delayed diagnosis of breast cancer and an anticoagulant overdose). 20 , 21 We created 2 new cases depicting a delayed diagnosis of sepsis and the development of a pressure sore (eTable 1 in Supplement 2 ). The cases were tested and refined with feedback from 6 faculty members in IM or FM to improve relevance, clarity, and believability. We designed all cases to reflect serious safety events of equivalent preventability and harm severity. Professional actors portrayed each patient or family member.

Residents provided audio responses to each vignette through the VCA software. Audio responses were bundled into rating tasks on MTurk for raters who were US residents aged 18 years or older and able to speak and read English. Raters answered demographic questions, read a vignette description in lay language, viewed the patient video, and listened to resident responses. They rated each response on 6 items covering domains related to accountability, honesty, apology, empathy, caring, and overall response, using a previously described instrument. 21 Items used a 5-point scale anchored with the labels poor, fair, good, very good, and excellent. After rating a set of responses, the rater responded in free text to the question, “What would you want the provider to say if you were the patient in this situation?” A power analysis based on previous research 23 with a moderate η p 2 of 0.09, determined that a sample of 96 PGY2 residents was needed to achieve a power of 0.85 at α = .05 for the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to effectively test the study hypotheses.

We sought at least 6 raters per response after removing raters with indications of low contributions to reliability. 27 To eliminate inattentive raters from quantitative analysis, open-ended responses were analyzed for quality. One analyst reviewed all responses and flagged responses that bypassed the question (eg, none, good, or NA [not applicable]), were generic, repetitive for multiple vignettes, or were copied and pasted from the ratings task questions (eg, “the provider understood how I was feeling”). A second analyst reviewed and confirmed all exclusions.

Residents completed questionnaires in the VCA application before proceeding to cases. The survey at time 1 asked about age, gender, race, the number of times the resident had personally participated in disclosure of a harmful error to a patient or family, and their highest level of involvement during disclosure of a harmful medical error. Data on race were included in this study because this information would be valuable for future analyses to address racial concordance between users and raters. Before time 2, residents who had received feedback were asked, “Approximately how many minutes did you spend reviewing your feedback?” (response options in 5-minute ranges), “How many of your own responses did you replay?”, and “How many of the exemplar (highly rated peer) responses did you play?” (response options of 0, 1-2, 3-4, and ≥5). Residents responded to 4 additional items about the usefulness of each feedback component (scores, personal recordings, exemplar recordings, and learning points) using a 5-point scale with labels from not at all to extremely.

Data analysis was performed from July to December 2023. We averaged ratings across items and raters to create an overall rating of each response. We then averaged response ratings across all 7 vignettes at time 1 to create an overall time 1 score, and across all 6 vignettes at time 2 to create a time 2 score. We created a dichotomous disclosure exposure variable by combining disclosure involvement level and the number of times participated in disclosure.

To address our primary study question about the effect of the intervention (ie, access to VCA feedback), we conducted a factorial ANCOVA examining the impact that the intervention and prior disclosure exposure had on the primary outcome, time 2 scores, while adjusting for time 1 scores. We conducted a modified intention-to-treat analysis, including all residents with both time 1 and time 2 data. However, those who did not complete time 2 were necessarily excluded from analysis because they did not provide data for the main outcome. Post hoc tests examining the difference between the intervention and control group for each level of prior disclosure exposure were conducted using the Bonferroni correction. We used a Wilcoxon rank sum test to compare performance across specialties on overall scores. We used logistic regression to investigate whether time 1 scores were associated with the likelihood that participants returned for time 2. All statistical analysis was performed in R statistical software version 4.1.2 (R Project for Statistical Computing), with a 2-sided P  < .05, except with ANCOVA, which is inherently 1-sided.

Programs identified 181 PGY2 residents available to attend educational conferences protected for VCA use (25 FM and 156 IM). Of these, 146 completed the VCA at time 1 before randomization (87 [60.0%] aged 25-29 years; 60 female [41.0%]; 77 male [53.0%]; 2 nonbinary [1.0%]) ( Figure 1 ). Of the 146 residents randomized, 103 (70.5%) completed the VCA at time 2 (53 randomized to intervention, and 50 randomized to control). All responses of these 103 residents were rated by at least 6 raters. Of the 43 who only completed time 1, we omitted 10 whose responses were rated by 5 or fewer raters to ensure adequate reliability of scores. Table 1 shows participants’ demographic characteristics. We recruited 592 raters via MTurk. Of these, 187 (32.0%) were removed for providing poor-quality data consistent with inattentiveness, resulting in a final rater sample of 405 (eTable 2 in Supplement 2 ). After removing inattentive raters, each response was rated by 6 to 18 laypeople (mean [SD], 9.50 [1.60] individuals).

The 53 participants in the intervention group completed surveys about interacting with the VCA feedback available before time 2. Two surveys lacked data because of electronic storage errors. Of the 51 residents with survey data, 28 (54.9%) reported that they had reviewed their feedback before the survey, reporting variable total periods of time in review; 7 (13.7%) spent less than 5 minutes, 12 (23.5%) spent 6 to 10 minutes, 5 (9.8%) spent 11 to 16 minutes, 3 (5.9%) spent 16 to 20 minutes, and 1 (2.0%) spent 21 to 25 minutes in review. Residents reported listening to variable numbers of their own or exemplar responses, but reported listening to more exemplar responses ( Table 2 ). Residents rated the usefulness of the 4 feedback components similarly ( Table 2 ).

Figure 3 displays the distribution of crowdsourced ratings by intervention assignment (eTable 3 in Supplement 2 presents time 1 ratings). High performers were rated 2 points higher than low performers on a 5-point scale. The ANCOVA model, which included time 1 scores as a covariate, showed a significant main effect of the intervention; the mean (SD) time 2 overall scores were 3.26 (0.45) for the intervention group and 3.14 (0.39) for the control group (difference, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.08-0.48; η p 2  = 0.04; P  = .01). We also detected a significant interaction between the intervention (ie, feedback availability) and prior exposure to disclosure conversation (η p 2  = 0.05; P  = .03) after adjusting for time 1 scores (eTable 4 in Supplement 2 ). Post hoc comparisons using Bonferroni correction revealed that when residents had no prior disclosure exposure, those in the feedback intervention group scored significantly higher than those in the control group (mean [SD] score, 3.33 [0.43] vs 3.09 [0.44]; difference, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.01-0.48; P  = .007) at time 2.

We did not observe a significant difference in communication skill performance between IM and FM residents (mean [SD] score, 3.24 [0.44] vs 3.26 [0.27]). Logistic regression found a significant association between time 1 scores and the likelihood that a participant returned for time 2, such that a 1-unit increase in time 1 scores corresponded to a 2.89-fold increase in the odds of participants completing time 2 (odds ratio, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.06-7.84; P  = .04).

This multisite, randomized clinical trial found that using VCA to provide crowdsourced feedback to PGY2 IM and FM residents about error disclosure skills was associated with an improvement in these skills. Feedback was most impactful among residents who reported they had not been exposed to error disclosure in clinical care, suggesting this intervention could be particularly beneficial at an earlier phase of training. Our findings highlight the potential for the VCA as a scalable practice tool for training that would be logistically challenging to replicate with standardized patients.

Despite these encouraging findings, surveys revealed that many residents either did not review or spent minimal time reviewing their feedback, which likely blunted the intervention’s effect. To optimize the VCA’s efficacy, future research should investigate and resolve barriers to residents’ use of crowdsourced feedback. Possible barriers in this trial included the delay between practice and feedback, the lack of protected time to review feedback, a need for adjunctive coaching, unidentified shortcomings of the feedback content and presentation, or the need for more practice repetitions. If confirmed, some of these potential barriers can be addressed with technical or curricular changes, such as providing dedicated time for feedback review or a paired faculty coach. However, using crowdsourcing to incorporate the layperson’s voice in statistically reliable feedback currently requires at least 2 to 3 days, making it difficult to provide instantaneous results.

To our knowledge, this study represents the largest assessment of medical error communication skills among IM and FM residents using a standardized instrument. Although all participants received a lecture on practical error disclosure skills, we observed significant variation in their performance, with high performers rated 2 points higher than low performers on a 5-point scale. Self-reported disclosure exposure did not explain this variation. These findings suggest that common teaching approaches leave at least a subset of residents unprepared for effective error disclosure and affirms the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s requirement that residents practice these skills.

The reliability of VCA scores for comparative assessment may be useful for residency directors evaluating milestone progress within their programs. Yet, the VCA was intended for formative use by individuals and should first be optimized for uses that residents find engaging and psychologically safe. Of particular concern, we found that worse performance at time 1 was associated with not completing time 2. One possible explanation is that participants who found the exercise difficult left discouraged. The departure of individuals with the most room for improvement highlights a difficulty for educators and health system leaders tasked with preparing all physicians for effective error disclosure. Future work should determine approaches that better engage low performers in deliberate practice, including repetition and coaching.

Our work has limitations. First, statistical power was reduced by both nonparticipation with the intervention and dropout before the second VCA use. Second, survey results may be affected by social desirability and recall bias. Third, there is no established score benchmark for competence or mastery, limiting contextualization of the observed effect size. Fourth, we relied on self-report of feedback review, rather than direct measurement; the software does not currently track time spent in feedback activities. Because of the timing of survey administration, residents who reported not reviewing feedback could have theoretically chosen to delay taking the VCA to review feedback instead. However, if this had occurred, it would have diminished, not increased, the effect size. Fifth, reviewing layperson responses to remove those with low contribution to reliability requires effort that may not scale to very widespread use. Sixth, the crowdsourced laypeople were predominantly White and non-Hispanic; lack of racial diversity in the rating pool may introduce unmeasured bias in the results. Seventh, unmeasured confounders missing from analysis may have affected the results. The study has important strengths, including a large geographically diverse cohort with robust participation, suggesting the findings may generalize to other IM and FM residencies.

In summary, this study found that self-directed review of crowdsourced feedback was associated with error disclosure skill improvement in IM and FM residents who had already received a lecture on the topic. The VCA has the potential to solve a widely unmet need for graduate medical education patient safety educators. Future work should determine the viewpoints of residency leaders and residents about how the tool can be improved for curricular adoption, and eventually to evaluate its effect on patient-reported communication outcomes.

Accepted for Publication: June 6, 2024.

Published: August 7, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.25923

Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC-BY License . © 2024 White AA et al. JAMA Network Open .

Corresponding Author: Andrew A. White, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Box 356429, 1959 Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195 ( [email protected] ).

Author Contributions: Dr White had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Concept and design: White, King, D’Addario, Gallagher.

Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors.

Drafting of the manuscript: White, King, D’Addario, Bradley, Gallagher.

Critical review of the manuscript for important intellectual content: White, D’Addario, Brigham, Bradley, Mazor.

Statistical analysis: D’Addario, Bradley, Mazor.

Obtained funding: White.

Administrative, technical, or material support: King, D’Addario, Brigham, Bradley.

Supervision: White, King, D’Addario, Gallagher.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr White reported receiving grants from the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the National Institute on Aging outside the submitted work. Dr King reported having a patent issued (10 860 963 B2). Dr Gallagher reported receiving grants from the AHRQ outside the submitted work. Dr Mazor reported serving as a paid consultant to the NBME, including consultation on the development and implementation of the video-based communication assessment. No other disclosures were reported.

Funding/Support: This study was supported by the NBME.

Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Data Sharing Statement: See Supplement 3 .

Additional Contributions: Art Riba, MD (Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine), and Chenwei Wu, MD (University of Washington), assisted with residency program engagement in this study. They did not receive compensation, and both provided written permission to include their names here.

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