01 / Start on your own
One question.
One small beginning.
Research starts with a focused question and evidence you can check.
Make your question small.
Choose something you want to understand. Limit it to one place, text, pattern, dataset, or comparison that you can actually explore.
Read a few useful sources.
Start with an overview, then follow a reference to an original paper. Note what was asked, how it was studied, and what remains unclear. Check any claim from artificial intelligence against the original source.
Find papers on Google Scholar ↗Try one thing.
Make a small calculation, compare two texts, inspect a public dataset, or plan a safe observation. Record the method and result, including what did not work. Ask a teacher about any permissions or safety concerns first.
Find public datasets on Data.gov ↗Write down what changed.
In your own notebook or document, keep the question, sources, method, result, one limitation, and one next step. Share a short summary with a teacher and ask one specific question.
Organize references with Zotero ↗
Worked example
From city heat
to one courtyard.
- Question
- Are shaded surfaces cooler than sunny surfaces in the same courtyard?
- First attempt
- With permission, compare the same surface material in shade and sun at similar times. Record the weather and repeat the observations.
- What to keep
- Your measurements, method, and other explanations—such as weather or material differences. Decide what you would check next.