Academic Research Booklet

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What is academic research? Academic research is the act of discovering and building upon research that others have already conducted and as a result of thoroughly researching your topic you are able to present informed opinions and ideas based on fact. A piece of ‘sustained academic writing’ is a project completed over a long period of time allowing the writer to absorb as much information as possible and create a detailed and comprehensive final document. In the sixth form you will undertake a sustained academic writing project in the form of an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or Extended Essay (EE), both of which give you the opportunity to practice the skills you’ll be expected to know when studying for a degree at university. Even if you don’t intend on going to university having a good understanding of how to conduct careful and critical research should still be considered of high importance. As the quantity of information we come into contact with in our everyday lives is ever increasing, knowing how to navigate that information is a necessary part of life - not just at school or university but in the workplace and our personal lives also.