Developing Essential Research Skills

Updated August 2026.

Research skills are imperative for creating a standout video, so we’ve put together this helpful guide full of tips on how to find reputable sources and conduct effective research. 

To start, pick a topic and subtopic that interests you or that you have some familiarity with. Once you have your topic, write down what you already know about the topic and at least three additional things you are interested in learning. If you want some guidance on what to look for when researching your topic, check out the Video Project Guide.

The topic backgrounders are full of quality sources to help you get started, but we also encourage you to find some additional resources on your own. Sources can be books, articles, research papers, encyclopedias, websites, experts, etc. A physical library is always a good place to start or you can use a search engine like JSTOR, Google Scholar, or BASE to help you find peer-reviewed literature. 

Below are some questions you can ask when analyzing the credibility of the sources from your research:

• Who created it? Are they a qualified expert on the topic?
• When was it published or updated? Is the information current?
• Is it a primary or secondary source? A primary source provides original or firsthand information, such as an interview, survey, government record, photograph, or original research.
• Does it include evidence or cite its sources? Keep in mind that a primary source provides original or firsthand information, so it may not cite other sources.
• Who published it? Is the website or organization trustworthy?
• Why was it created? To inform, persuade, sell, or entertain?
• Can you confirm the information with another reliable source?
• Does it separate facts from opinions?

When writing down your facts, don’t copy them down word for word, take only the important parts that relate to the claim you are making. If you come across a particularly powerful quote, feel free to include it in your video to help make your argument stronger. However, make sure to credit the author both on screen in your video and in your citations.

Make sure to cite your sources in the appropriate format whether it’s MLA, APA, etc. Online citation generators can help you format your citations but always double-check that the information is correct.

We hope with these research tools under your belt, finding useful information for your video will be easier and less intimidating for you. And remember, the more you use these research skills, the more natural and intuitive they will become!