Teaching High School Students How to Do Research Offline
byTrey Edgington
5 min to read
While the Internet can provide a wealth of information on most subjects, teaching students how to conduct research offline is important in helping them find every reputable source available to them. Getting out of the home-learning space and out into the world to learn more about a subject can take students to interesting places and allow them to meet thought-provoking subject matter experts.
Explore the World with Research
Teaching students how to do research—whether offline or online—raises their awareness of the world and allows them to explore subjects that may interest them. For instance, a student who is assigned a research paper about sea creatures may become fascinated with how smart and clever octopuses are, which could lead to an interest in marine biology.
Benefits of Building Research Skills for Students
Exploring a topic with the intent of writing an essay tends to encourage students to practice their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Finding sources requires them to discern good sources from bad, choose the information that will support their thesis, and then figure out how to clearly communicate their ideas on the subject.
Why Offline Research Is Important for Students
With millions of resources on the Internet, students will need to know how to do online research to be successful throughout school and after graduation. However, there are many critical offline resources—that can be found in texts or by talking to subject matter experts—to give students different perspectives on a topic and deepen their research. Your student may even find a few hidden gems not found on the Internet.
How to Research as a High School Student
When students reach high school, their research assignments may start to become more rigorous, and they often will need to go beyond the digital space in order to learn more or gather resources. In other words, they will need to conduct offline research. Here are a few research methods for students in high school to use that don’t involve the Internet.
Expert Interviews on the Topic
Experts are often excited to speak to students about their specialty and can tailor the information to the student’s level of understanding. They can make the research feel personal, bringing it to life for the student.
Students can interview experts in person, on the phone, or through email. Interviewing an expert also provides an opportunity for students to learn about the differences between primary and secondary sources. In addition, if a student is passionate about a research topic and may have an interest in pursuing that field after they graduate high school, an expert in the field may be open to mentoring the student.
Research with Books, Magazines, and Scholarly Journals
While Google Scholar, Smithsonian Libraries, and other online databases provide a wealth of information, not all books, magazines, and scholarly journals are available in a digital format. In this case, students will have to hunt down the original printed works by visiting their local library.
Libraries offer numerous tools that can help students develop their research skills. Many libraries provide access to databases with thousands of sources that are not accessible to individuals. Libraries also have retro resources like microfilm, which are great for archived newspapers or images. Audiobooks and films are also available to check out, and many libraries host events with guest speakers that could be relevant to a student’s research.
Librarians can be great sources of knowledge and guide students through the ins and outs of offline research at the library research, including using databases, finding physical sources in the library with the Dewey Decimal System, and using other library resources. A Learning Coach or parent may want to make an appointment with a librarian for this type of hands-on learning.
How to Tell if a Source Is Reputable
A reputable source is reliable, well-reasoned, and logical, while also providing sound and sufficient evidence. The CRAAP Test (Current, Relevant, Authoritative, Accurate, Purpose), created by librarian Sarah Blakeslee, is integral in teaching students how to decide if a source—both online and offline—is reputable. Consider the following to see if a source passes the CRAAP Test:
Current
It is important for students to know when their source was published. A research study performed ten years ago may not have the most accurate data when it comes to what is happening today, but it would be appropriate if researching how things have changed.
When performing research focused on subject matter that changes quickly like STEM-related subjects, students want to find the most recent sources available, usually two to three years old at most. Research focused on the humanities, on the other hand, may not have such time constraints. Ten years is a good rule of thumb, though some sources may be practically timeless—primary sources for example.
Relevant
Students need to ask themselves if the source supports their argument or answers their question. If the source is only vaguely associated with the subject, they should probably try to find another resource or refine their search topic.
Authoritative
Researchers want to ensure that the publication and author are authorities on the subject. Does the publication have a good reputation in the field? How long has it been in print? You’ll want to look into the author as well. Do they have the right credentials—degrees, certifications, licenses, and experience—to write on the subject? Are they known to have any biases? A quick Google search should provide information on both.
Accurate
When checking for accuracy, you’re simply trying to find out if the information is truthful and correct. Are the source’s claims supported by evidence from other reliable sources? Has the article been peer reviewed? Also look for spelling and grammatical errors, as these may be red flags as to legitimacy.
Purpose
Students conducting research will want to consider why the piece was written. Though researchers usually want articles that inform or teach, some sources may have been created to lead readers towards a specific conclusion.
Offline research may seem old-fashioned, but it opens doors to information and experiences the Internet can’t always offer. By exploring libraries, interviewing experts, and discovering sources beyond the screen, you can help your student build research skills and maybe uncover new interests along the way.
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