Research Skills

Research Skills in Grade 9 help students move beyond gathering random facts to becoming thoughtful investigators. Instead of just reporting information, learners are encouraged to ask focused questions, evaluate the quality of sources, and synthesize evidence into well-structured arguments. This subject highlights the importance of credibility, organization, and ethics teaching students how to recognize bias, avoid plagiarism, and use evidence responsibly. Research skills support learning in every subject, whether designing a science experiment, writing a history essay, or preparing a debate. They also build digital literacy by showing how to navigate databases, online resources, and academic articles effectively. By the end of the course, students view research not as a chore, but as a powerful way to discover truth, create knowledge, and contribute meaningfully to society.

🟢 Starter

  • Explore why asking good questions leads to better research.
  • Research how libraries organize information for students.
  • Investigate how keywords improve online searches.
  • Reflect on how curiosity drives research.
  • Explore why primary sources matter in history projects.
  • Research how note-taking helps organize ideas.
  • Investigate how interviews provide firsthand information.
  • Explore how to distinguish facts from opinions.
  • Research why plagiarism harms academic work.
  • Reflect on how organization improves project outcomes.
  • Explore how charts and graphs display findings.
  • Research how to check the credibility of a website.
  • Investigate why citations give credit to authors.
  • Explore how observation supports scientific research.
  • Research how peer-reviewed articles are published.
  • Investigate why encyclopedias are starting points, not endpoints.
  • Explore how group research improves collaboration.
  • Research how bias influences information.
  • Investigate how surveys collect data from communities.
  • Reflect on how patience supports successful research.

🟡 Practice

  • Analyze how to create a strong research question.
  • Research how to identify reliable vs. unreliable websites.
  • Explore how to use academic databases effectively.
  • Investigate how paraphrasing supports originality.
  • Research how to build an annotated bibliography.
  • Explore how to structure a research paper.
  • Investigate how visual tools like mind maps organize ideas.
  • Research how copyright protects intellectual property.
  • Explore how cross-checking improves accuracy.
  • Investigate how sampling methods affect survey results.
  • Research how to design a simple experiment.
  • Explore how case studies provide detailed insights.
  • Investigate how secondary sources support understanding.
  • Research how to evaluate the author’s perspective in articles.
  • Explore how plagiarism detection tools work.
  • Investigate how data is analyzed in scientific research.
  • Research how to balance quantity and quality of sources.
  • Explore how citation styles (MLA, APA) differ.
  • Investigate how to outline findings before writing.
  • Analyze how presentation skills share research effectively.

🔴 Challenge

  • Debate whether internet access makes students better researchers.
  • Research how misinformation spreads online.
  • Analyze how open-access journals change academic research.
  • Investigate how big data influences global decision-making.
  • Research how artificial intelligence transforms research methods.
  • Debate whether Wikipedia should be used in academic projects.
  • Analyze how historical research reshapes modern perspectives.
  • Research how ethics shape medical research.
  • Investigate how funding affects research outcomes.
  • Research how citizen science contributes to discoveries.
  • Debate whether students should be taught coding for research.
  • Analyze how cultural context shapes interpretation of sources.
  • Research how surveys influence public policy.
  • Investigate how climate science relies on research collaboration.
  • Research how universities share findings internationally.
  • Debate whether social media can be a valid research tool.
  • Analyze how translation impacts use of foreign sources.
  • Research how innovation relies on strong research skills.
  • Investigate how bias in sources distorts conclusions.
  • Propose a school-wide research fair to showcase student projects.

💡 Reflection Question

How can building strong research skills help you ask better questions, evaluate information critically, and contribute meaningful knowledge in school and beyond?

🔍 VSearch 🔗 PTP 💬 Q&A EN 💬 Q&A NL 📈 VSSRank 📣 Share 🐦 Tweet