The way we are doing research is changing rapidly. Going to a library to find resources may still be a common practice when doing your masters degree or your Phd, but this is rapidly changing.
This week I co-presented a Cybersholarship workshop at the University of the Free State. The University of the Free State launched a Post Graduate School and presented valuable workshops for during the week.
I am very pleased that the University acknowledged the fact that finding information online and using online resources as part of your studies is something that should be accepted and not be discouraged.
Let me give you some quick tips! First read more about the topic that you would like to research. This you do by visiting Wikipedia. Even though many institutions do not accept Wikipedia as a valid resource it is a great place to find out what type of information is available about your specific field of interest.
Use social bookmarking websites like www.delicious.com to bookmark and find great resources. Create a free account, find and share great resources online.
If you find blogs or websites that you want to follow go to http://reader.google.com and create a free account. Now you can add all the RSS feeds from those websites you want to follow in this free reader and as they are updated the updates will appear in your reader.
The last resource I will share in this column is that you should also immediately join an academic forum or two like www.academia.edu. Here you will be able to share ideas and follow the work of other academics in many different fields. This is also a great place to ask questions from other academics who are possibly sharing your interests.
There are so many tips that I can share, but I hope that these few will help you get up and running in your research project.