Finding sources is easy. Evaluating them critically is the real skill. #additional
✨Question everything - including good sources. Even peer-reviewed papers have limitations. Always ask:
What was the sample size? Was it large enough? Who funded this research? Could there be a conflict of interest? When was it published? Is the data still relevant?
Can the findings be generalized, or were they very specific to one group?
❄️Look for contradicting studies
Don't just collect sources that agree with your hypothesis. Actively search for studies that challenge it. Acknowledging contradictions makes your research stronger, not weaker, it shows intellectual honesty.
✨Understand correlation vs. causation
One of the most common mistakes in student research - and even in media headlines. Just because two things happen together doesn't mean one causes the other. Always ask: could there be a third variable explaining this?
❄️Trace claims back to their origin
When an article says "studies show…" – find that actual study. Many sources cite other sources that cite other sources, and the original finding often gets distorted along the way.
❄️ Discuss your findings out loud
Explaining your research to someone else reveals gaps in your logic that you can't see when you're deep inside it. Find a peer, a mentor, or even talk through it yourself.
✨Critical thinking isn't something you either have or don't– it's a muscle. The more you practice it, the sharper your research becomes.