How to... Research

Research is something that everyone thinks they can do well...

...but don't.

The Research Investigation requires you to have research from a "...wide variety of sources..."

And yet some students don't.

The Research Investigation requires you to "...analyse and apply research in a sophisticated way..."

And yet some students don't.

The links below are here to give you the opportunity to quote from a wide variety of resources and to help you practice finding the key pieces of information for YOUR project.

First of all an introduction to an absolutely key resource.



This invaluable journal is available in the LRC, however we have access to the digital version which allows you to not only browse through the most recent editions of the magazines as PDFs but also gives you access to special editions of the magazine as well as the magazine's extensive archives.

Here is how to access the Media Magazine website...


  • Click on the magazine cover or link above to get to the website

  • Scroll down to where you see this panel, to fill in details...



  • Put in the following details:
                                                         Username: sscmediastudies
Password: hitchcock



  • If you are taken away from MediaMag then click on the tab at the top of the page...




  • Scroll down and choose to wither search through the PDFs or the Archive of articles...







Here is your first task in being a successful researcher...

  1. Find an article in the Media Magazine archives which interests you
  2. Write down who the article is by and when it was written
  3. Write down the key points from the essay - the key points that are being made - exactly as they are written in the magazine
  4. Find a video clip or an image that illustrates the points that are being made


    ...then...


Blog your findings - in your blog you must include:

  • Why you chose the article
  • Who the article was written by and an overview of what it is about
  • The main points of the article - including some quotations
  • Whether or not you agree with the quotations - and why.
  • Videos and/or images of texts that relate to the ideas expressed in the article with some analysis
  • An overall opinion of the article

See Elaine Benes' Blog called Hitchcock - Auteur & Creator to see how it is done.




Please note that this page is under construction and that more will be added as time goes on - please keep checking here to see how you can be more effective researchers.