Secrets of Great Researchers - The Lazy Debater's Guide to Research (Part 2)

     After you read this article, you can look up the new key words you have found in google.  For example: “military,” “defense,” “South Korea,” “peninsula,” and “dependent” are all some key words which can be recycled in additional searches.

     Now you are ready to begin addressing that issue specifically.  Search for the new keywords, add them into your old searches, and try them in unique orders.  All of these methods will produce numerous articles relating to one area of the topic.  After you have repeated this process a few times (for some of us, it is hundreds of times), you will begin to have a strong idea related to that area of the resolution.

     This search also turned up something unique to this topic.  Policy regarding locations is different from policies for such things as trade policy, immigration policy, or mental health policy.  Because this resolution is unique, there are some additional strategies which can be employed in researching. 

Here are some additional tips specific to the protectorate resolution:

1. Search ‘“protectorate”, “United states”’ and see if you can develop a list of protectorates.  Also, look for synonyms to protectorate (territory, commonwealth, insular area, dependency, etc.) and search for these terms.  This will allow you to hone your search to specific topics within these locations.
2. Once you have found a list of protectorates, you can look for a problem which needs to be solved.  Again, search google and look for ‘ “protectorate name”, “policy analysis” ‘ or ‘ “protectorate name”, “policy change” ‘ or other such variations which can give you areas for case development.
3. Look at think tank and policy research groups.  Once you are on their website, search for the protectorate name you are researching and read some of their articles.  Often you can find policy recommendations from the experts using this strategy.
4. Keep abreast of the news on protectorates.  While some topics are not volatile, this topic assures major changes all the time.  Even if you are not running a case in danger of being implemented by the government, you need to know what is going on in the current system so that you will not be caught off guard in a round.

     After you feel that you have a basic understanding of the topic it is time to step research up a few notches.  The next step is to print this article if you are reading it on a computer screen.  No, seriously, print it now.  Once it prints, get up from the computer…yup, I know, it’s tough to leave it all alone in the cold world, but trust me, it will be there when you get back – and so will your IM buddies ;).

Take this article with you as you head off to the library!!

For basic research instruction see our youtube channel, specifically the lecture on research/evidence basics. For links to studies and articles on the current NCFCA/STOA policy resolution and NFL/NCFL/UDL LD resolution follow us on twitter