How to Improve Research and Analytical Skills

College and university students are always required to make use of their thinking abilities while doing their assignments or research papers. Analytical skills are something that are innate in a person but not to everyone.

A keen sense of observation is required to have good analytical skills Halpern, a psychologist, says that critical skills depend on analytical skills and analytical skills are developed when you have the ability to consciously reflect on your thought process. 

Richard J. Heuer said that Analytical thinking seems a skill like driving a car or doing carpentry, it can be taught, learnt and improved with practice. But there is no school that would help you hone this skill…. Similarly it is important to have developed research skills so as to work efficiently in your academic life. 

Your research projects require you to know how to go about collecting data and compiling it to produce your research paper. Both these skills go hand in hand. So if you think that your research and analytical skills are not up to the mark, read below to brush them up:

1. First and foremost learn to be observant. You should learn to observe your surroundings in the most intricate manner. Observing gives you more points to analyse. Also when you observe around yourself there may be possibility of putting this information in your research work. For example: If you need psychology assignment help which has a topic of case study on people who deal with stress. If you are observant, you will be able to see people around you who have different ways of dealing with stress and then you will be able to further research on their behaviour.
2. Read a lot to improve your research and analytical skills. As rightly said Reading maketh a full man,… reading journals, articles, books, and the like would brush up your analytical ability and this would also help you produce your own research work by bringing in references from these materials. Read keeps your mind active and running because while reading you think for yourself, try to question certain points and feed in your mind the ones you like. Also different perceptions can be viewed and analysed as well as quoted in research. 
3. Don’t just try to find solutions to the recurring questions and problems that trouble you. Try to understand how things work and what lead to the occurrence of that problem. In this process you are already working on your research skills using your analytical ability. This would also help you have a better understanding of whatever you are trying to analyse.
4. We have heard since ages that curiosity killed the cat. But that does not apply here. The more curious you are to know about certain things, the better does your mind work and the more is your analytical ability at play. The more you question things, the better and detailed explanations you get for them and you develop a better understanding. When things are clearly understood to you, your mind’s critical and analytical ability come to play thus not letting your mind rust. If you have ever seen research papers, they are burdened with questions that were posed to the writer, and the possible solutions he could figure out.
5. This point is particularly for improving your analytical skills. You should make it a point to challenge your mind by playing mind games like Sudoku or puzzle or chess. These games bring your analytical ability at play. In fact chess serves the best purpose when you try to analyse the opponents steps and the possibility of him taking that step. And moreover you are doing something interesting thus you don’t feel bored and require motivation to do it.
6. As already mentioned that research paper pose questions and demand answers for the same. Hence your problem solving abilities are required to successfully work on the project. Try to think about multiple solutions to a particular problem and implement them to test them. These abilities would help you develop research and analytical skills.
7. Think of your work and revisit your decisions. If you have come to a conclusion using your research skills, revisit these derivations to check the veracity. If you have come to conclusions using your analytical, it is more important that you think about your decisions. Try to analyse its pros and cons and question yourself whether your decision is the best to the situation. 
8. For honing your research skills, check the quality and reliability of sources you are referring to. Always start with basic search on online websites. These sites give you a way you can go in. Also, verify the sources you are referring to, from other different sources, while doing the research. 
9. In case of improving your research skills, you should never overlook library since it offers the best and most credible sources for research. Also try to be updated with current trends in the field of your research and refer to papers from some international institutions.

Hence you can work upon your research and analytical skills by taking into consideration the above mentioned points. Once you are able to develop these abilities to a good extent you will see that no research project or assignment will seem a big deal to you. So keep on brushing these skills of yours and hold your breath for surprising results.