Find evidence.
Develop your ideas.

Turn your topic into a focused question. Identify its main concepts, list alternative terms and search more than one collection. Record useful search terms, dates and filters so you can revisit your approach. Use references in relevant sources to discover earlier work.

Ask who produced the work, where it was published and what evidence supports its claims. Consider its date, methods, limitations and possible conflicts of interest. Compare different sources and distinguish research findings from commentary, promotion and unsupported assertion.

Keep the source details with every note. Separate direct quotations, paraphrases and your own reflections. Record page numbers where relevant, note uncertainties and explain how the source contributes to your question. Organise notes around ideas rather than copying long extracts.

Follow the referencing style specified for your programme or assignment. Acknowledge ideas, words, data, images and other materials you use. Mark direct quotations clearly and include the information a reader needs to locate the original. Check reference-manager output against the required style.

Check your assessment rules before using an AI tool. Verify factual claims and references against the original sources, protect confidential information and disclose assistance where required. Retain responsibility for the reasoning, accuracy and originality of the work you submit.

Use consistent file names and document how evidence was collected or selected. Protect personal and confidential information, respect copyright and obtain any required approval before collecting data from people. Explain uncertainty and limitations honestly.