Practice makes perfect : improving student research skills through evidence-based practice

Receiving research projects and reports from students can be a deflating experience for teachers. While research assignments hold so much scope to enable authentic, student-centred learning, genuine inquiry and deep understanding, many assignments teachers receive can appear to fall well short of these outcomes. A lack of student understanding of the nature, scope and aims of the research, poor application and time management, a reluctance or inability to locate sources of information, and low skill levels in critically selecting and synthesising information are all factors at play. As a result, the information students present in assignments can be misunderstood, misapplied, unreconstructed, sometimes irrelevant and, often, ultimately plagiarised. This paper explains a new, evidence-based program designed by the authors, and recently introduced into their schools, which seeks to address these concerns. It outlines the rationale for such a program and details the program's three main components: research skills testing, research assignment re-design and integrated research skills instruction. [Author abstract]