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Tutor: Hi James, how's your alternative energy project going?
James: To be honest, I'm confused about how to do the research for the different energy types.
T: Well, the first thing is to make sure you focus your question, otherwise you'll have too much to read and you won't be able to select the key arguments.
J: So how do I do that?
T: Start with the general topic of alternative energy and then keep asking questions until you've narrowed the topic down to one particular area.Then, when you have your question, make a list of the reading you will need. This list should be generai to give yOu some background, but remember you'll need to focus on the issues related to the question, so the reading list should also be specific to the actual energy source you've chosen, whether it's wind or solar or wave power.
S: And then start reading?
T: Absolutely. You need to start reading straight away. but don't forget to make notes as you read, otherwise you won't be able to keep track of ideas for future reference purposes.
J: Yes, that makes sense. I think that's my main problem -I don't recall where l've read different ideas, so I can't find them again later. And my friends have warned me that not recording ideas in a system can really hinder your progress.
T: Your friends are right - you definitely need some kind of system. You need to organise everything well so that you can analyse and think about what you've read.
J: But I prefer to just start reading and then go back and edit my work later.
T: Hmm ... I wouldn't recommend it. Lthink you need to give yourself more time to digest the material and analyse it in terms of relevance to your research question.
J: Well, that's a great help. Thank you, Professor Jenkins.
T: You're welcome. Come and see me again if you have any more problems.
