Research Methods for Writers (Self-Paced Tutorial)

Details

Attention all writers! Learn how to efficiently and effectively conduct research for any writing project: fiction, nonfiction, business . . . even term papers and dissertations. Research has progressed far beyond a visit to the library. Today, myriad sources provide almost anything a writer might need to know on any subject. Learn how to identify and access every information source imaginable.

Enrollment Options:

Self-Paced
3 Months Access Course Code: T9839
No Instructor, Start Anytime

$129.99

USD

Enroll before 28th February and get high quality lamination on your hardcopy certificate absolutely free! Use your certificate to your advantage by showing your certified credentials to prospective employers and recruiters.

Syllabus

1. Research: The Foundation of Writing

In this introductory lesson, you'll learn why good research skills are necessary for effective writing. You'll unleash your creativity with the exciting "Mind Mapping" tool to identify your subject—in both a general and specific way—to help refine your research before you even begin. You'll also learn the importance of understanding jargon and technical terms specific to your subject, which will leave you much better prepared to begin your project.

2. Making a Plan

You probably already know that much time can be wasted if research is conducted in a disorganized manner. In this lesson, you'll learn how to organize a plan for your research and how to keep organized once your research is underway. You'll identify the first steps of research, including choosing between academic and anecdotal research, primary and secondary sources, and which resources will be the most productive for you in the early stages of research.

3. The Library: A Virtual Field Trip

The library is still the most all-inclusive resource for research, but many people aren't aware of the treasure trove of information residing within its walls. This lesson will take you on a virtual field trip through the many library sections and departments, introducing and reviewing the materials available, including periodicals, microfilm records, Lexis-Nexis, rare books, reverse directories, government reports, maps, old telephone books, and many others. You'll discover resources that you never knew existed.

4. The Personal Interview

One of the most productive resources for researches is the personal interview, but it can be intimidating. In this lesson, you'll learn how to find experts and how to prepare for an interview. You'll learn the keys to formulating questions designed to get the very best from your subject. By the time you finish this lesson, you'll feel confident and competent to approach your interview subjects with ease.

5. Getting the Most out of Reports and Studies

Perusing reports can seem about as much fun as a root canal, but it's worth it when you find nuggets of information essential to your research. This lesson will introduce you to numerous valuable reports, including census reports, public company reports and a multitude of government reports. You'll learn how to separate the wheat from the chaff, winnowing out the pertinent information, and how to assess a report not only for its content but also for the reliability of its source. As a bonus, you'll be given some guidelines for turning statistics into prose.

6. History: Fact or Fiction?

In this lesson, you'll learn how to incorporate history into your writing, whether it's fiction or nonfiction. You'll discover what you've probably suspected all along: the truth of history is often shaped by the perspective of the historian. This lesson will teach you how to evaluate different perspectives, how to spot "rewritten history," and how to zero in on fact versus mythology.

7. Public Records: A Treasure Trove of Information

This lesson will introduce you to the numerous public records that are waiting to reveal information about persons, places, and things. Real estate records, birth, marriage and death records, civil and criminal trial records, bankruptcy filings, construction records, and political campaign information are but a few of the many records available to the public. By the end of the lesson, you'll know what's out there and how to get to it.

8. The Internet: A Researcher's Best Friend

Conducting research on the Internet can be a valuable time-saver. It can also allow researchers to fall into the trap of believing everything they read. This lesson will discuss Internet reliability: what you can trust and what you should distrust. You'll also learn skills for effectively using search engines for your research, for both general and specific topics. You'll find many useful research links and learn about issues such as when you should and should not pay for your information. The Internet has as many pitfalls as benefits, and this lesson will show you how to avoid the pitfalls.

9. Creating Your Own Information

Some researchers can't resist the lure of using information that has never before existed. This lesson discusses the value of collecting your own data by way of surveys, studies, interviews, polls, and questionnaires. You'll learn how to effectively create these instruments of data-gathering, and you'll learn the difference between valid statistical sampling versus informal, nonscientific results, and when the use of each is appropriate.

10. Guerrilla Research

Have you ever had difficulty finding cooperative sources of information? This lesson will reveal the secrets of Guerilla Research; i.e., how to get answers when the questions are being evaded. You'll learn techniques for gaining the confidence of reluctant interview subjects, as well as methods for digging and snooping. In other words, you'll learn how to get what you want when the direct approach isn't working.

11. Attribution: Giving Credit When Credit Is Due

Once your research has been compiled, much of it will be quoted or paraphrased within your manuscript. This lesson will discuss the importance of proper attribution as well as the technical methods for crediting your sources. You'll learn how to painlessly create a bibliography, and you will also learn how to decide between citations, footnotes, and endnotes for your work. You can easily avoid copyright violations by gaining a basic understanding of copyright law, along with the fundamentals of fair use and permissions. Writers know how important it is to protect themselves, and in this lesson you'll learn how.

12. Pulling It All Together

Your research is complete, your facts are gathered; now what? In this final lesson, you'll learn what to do with all the research materials you have accumulated. You'll learn how to identify what is valuable and what should be discarded. You'll gain insight on both the writing and the editing process, and as a bonus, you'll learn how to avoid some of the most common word-usage mistakes. This lesson will give you the final skills you need to produce a well-researched, polished manuscript.

Requirements

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 8 or newer.
  • Mac: OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Reviews

About ExpertRating

ExpertRating is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company offering online certification and training services to individuals and companies globally. Over 25 million people have benefited from ExpertRating Online Certifications and assessments. ExpertRating is the winner of the Google SME Hero's award for showing outstanding use of technology in delivering trusted services to thousands of people on a daily basis. Our affordable certifications are an excellent way of demonstrating your knowledge and skills to prospective employers as well as vastly boosting your chances of moving ahead in your business or career.

Company Timeline

Since 2001

Decades of excellence

800+ Skill Tests

World’s largest test inventory

2500+ Companies

Thousands depend on use

25 Million People Tested

10 tests every minute

35 Countries Serviced

Over 1500 clients in the US

86% Reorder Rate

Satisfied clients

We deliver over 3 million online certification tests and online courses annually.

Awards

ExpertRating is a winner of the Google SME Heroes award. This award has been instituted by Google to honor IT companies that have excelled in their domain and have leveraged the internet to grow and expand their businesses in innovative ways.


ExpertRating is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company, which reflects that our courses and tests conform to the highest international quality standards. Our training material is prepared by thorough professionals with years of experience, and goes through several rounds of analysis by expert teams to help develop well-balanced, comprehensive and meaningful content.