Exploring Research worksheet
You are required to complete the tasks on this sheet and place the content in your website section called
RESEARCH. You will be looking at three sections, these should be clear on the page. They are in RED on this
document.
Task 1/3: Tools
You are required to think about each of the following tools for research and talk about advantages, disadvantages and show
an example. A table has been included to help with this, or you can create headings on the Weebly page for each one.
Write detailed answers for each box and add an image for each example (this could be a photo, logo, etc).
Tool Advantage
LRC environment allows
you to concentrate and
fully indulge in learning
Doesn’t require internet
LRC
Librarians know
whereabouts everything
is located, can help
Access to technology
Able to travel around
with you – light and small
(portable)
Can access any time,
anywhere
Doesn’t require internet
Books Includes specific info
No technological barrier
in terms of use
Has an index/ contents
page
More reliable, accurate
than the internet
You can ask for definition
of anything, and it will
inform you
Super quick and easy
access nowadays
Almost limitless amount
Web
of information,
constantly updated
You can back things up/
store stuff
Access books, videos,
images online
Variety of videos
(tutorials or step by step)
to give you insight
Can always access if you
have an electronic device
Huge amount of info
Good for different
YouTube learning styles – audible,
visual, simple
Easy to navigate, free
Comment section
Watch at your own pace
Disadvantage Example (with photo/URL evidence)
Not always available as you
cannot access it within
lessons or at home making it
more inconvenient than
other methods
Limited copies of books/
technology you may need
Outdated information
Not always accessible if you
don’t have the specific
books with you
May be difficult to
understand, not simplified
Outdated information
Finite amount of The Illusion of Life (12 Principles)
information
Can be difficult to read or
expensive
Need internet connection to
access
Not always easy to navigate,
can feel overwhelmed by all
the links
Sometimes may be difficult
to understand, not
simplified/ too complicated
Technical barrier to access –
connection, battery power
Information can be false
Can be slow or distracting
Limited number of videos on
specific topics you may need
Production/ video quality
may vary - resolution
Need internet connection
Subtitles not consistent Alan Becker 12 Principles of Animation
Got rid of the dislike button
which may indicate
usefulness of video
Outdated information
Advertising is annoying
Clickbait
Videos can be removed
Monetizing can reduce
quality
 Information will be more
up-to-date and modern
Can moderate specifically
to your interests
Guaranteed to get
answers from people
with experience
Social May be easier to
media/forum understand than a
textbook
Communicate with
people globally without
travel
Can debate with people
or ask for help
Wide audience potential
Good/ specifically
focused documentaries
Can download content
Engaging/ entertaining
Streaming
with good production
services
values
Loads of additional
content, behind the
scenes
DVD/Blu-ray Can watch it whenever
you want
Easy to use for all ages
Portable, relatively cheap
Some platforms may require
a paid subscription
Information is quite bias/
opinionated from users
The topics you want may not
be written about, may be
restricted
Lots of bot activity, can
receive a virus
Toxicity from users
Censorship
May promote/ foster
laziness
Easily be distracted
Limited/ finite amount of
info
Must pay for a subscription
Ads
Illegally viewed
Actual events can be
dramatized
Geographic barrier to what
you can access
Limited/ restricted info
Not a very modern
technique/ outdated
Really easy to badly damage
disks

Task 2/3: Methods

This time think about each of the methods in the table below and consider what the benefits and drawbacks of them are.

Method Advantage Disadvantage

Unique technique to gather info from a large variety Not everyone may respond
of people Can struggle to receive answers with depth if
Conducting Quick and easy method questions are ‘yes’ or ‘no’ – vague
survey Very specific and focused on questions asked Answers can be unhelpful
Can make easy comparisons between answers
Multiple people’s viewpoints
Easily buildable knowledge People could take offence
Find out interests and opinions Time constraints
Interviewing Allows interviewer to visualise the person Awkward/ uncomfortable pauses
people Can get answers from people who aren’t
mainstream/ people you socialise with regularly
Discussions allow people to go in depth/ detailed Can create conflict between others
answers People may not have confidence to share ideas
Group discussions Free to talk/ have those opinions in a safe space – no Commonly interrupted if there isn’t a good leader of
scrutiny from media the conversation
Encourages participation Conversations can be become side-tracked
You can dictate what you research/ what websites May be time consuming
you use is beneficial Expensive
First hand research = updated and modern Financial/ travel barriers maybe?
Primary research Can trust your own research Limited compared to secondary
Can be super specific, gather varied viewpoints Focus can mean you receive limited responses in
Can filter the information you discover different populations

Secondary Can be quicker to obtain Research may be mistrusting/ not accurate

Research Very broad, wide range of answers already made – Plagiarism
 can be convenient Reliability
Reliability Not as focused as primary research
Easily accessible May not get exact/ precise info you want
Can be done by experts in the field who have time
and money
Multimethod Takes longer
More flexible approach than quantitative data Harder to draw direct comparisons
Qualitative Data Go into more detail Need to provide a lot more information
(words) Provides insight that cannot be expressed by Not as exact
numbers
Useful for quotes
Relies on concrete numbers instead of broad/ Limited detail/ depth in comparison to qualitative
variable answers – helps remove bias Deliberate tampering with numbers
Quantitative Data Easier to obtain larger sample sizes More difficult to differentiate incorrect answers
(numbers) More accurate and precise in numbers
Quicker to arrange data
Easier to compare large number of responses

Task 3/3: Skills

Finally, think about what skills you should be working on when conducting research. You can consider the animation you’ll
be making when answering these questions if it helps.

Skill How I will do this

I can contact my audience through a range of social media platforms to reach a wide range of age groups.
Finding the right Online form
audience to ask I can also target questions at my family and friends.

Asking the right I will ask intriguing and engaging questions to a different variety of people so I can capture their interest.
questions
Qualitative – use quotes to be precise, read through all answers to find trends/ common replies
Interpreting the Quantitative – helps measure amount of people who answered what – use graphs
answers usefully