Curiosity is one of humanity’s most important characteristics. It has enabled us to make the unknown known, to break barriers and to shine a light on all aspects of life, from our day to day hobbies to the exploration of the stars. Our innate desire to explore is responsible for many of our proudest achievements. This course will help train you to harness your curiosity and use it to undertake your own research projects in a scholarly manner.

The course is intended for anyone who is currently undertaking or planning to undertake a piece of academic research, be that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), International Baccalaureate Extended Essay, Welsh Baccalaureate Individual Project, coursework or a piece of independent scholarship. The course is running throughout the year so you can chose the start date that suits you (select your preference below).

Developed and delivered by research-active academics, the course will support you with every step of the research process, from developing a hypothesis and finding sources to writing up and presenting one’s findings.

The practical, hands-on lessons will give you the opportunity to share your ideas with fellow researchers from all over the world, to receive peer feedback on your research proposals and enable you to review and comment on the work of other researchers, building a supportive community of like-minded curious learners.

What topics will you cover?

Academic research: principles and definition
Drafting and developing research proposals
Gathering information from literature and from findings
Research methods: choosing an appropriate methodology
Academic reading and note taking
Referencing, plagiarism, and academic integrity
Academic writing: organising sources, structuring essays
Academic writing: summarising a research project into an abstract
Academic presentations: preparation and delivery

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and learn at your own pace. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Develop a research hypothesis
Formulate research questions
Summarise a research proposal
Assess the validity of a research proposal
Justify the choice of a specific research methodology
Explore academic literature about a specific research subject
Prepare a presentation to illustrate the key components of your specific research project

Who is the course for?

There are no specific course requirements, other than a curious disposition and desire to undertake some academic research.

Who will you learn with?

Emma Thompson

Learn with US Transition Leader, University of Southampton. Research Interests: political behaviour in the UK, the student experience and the value of the EPQ. Twitter: @DrEmmaThompson #FLcuriosity

Richard Penny

Post-doctoral researcher on economic inequality and social jusice & Learn with US Transition Officer at the University of Southampton. www.soton.academia.edu/RichardPenny @DrRichPenny #FLcuriosity

Who developed the course?

University of Southampton

Southampton is a place for ambitious people keen to stretch their intellectual abilities and help change the world.

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