Information is power. Throughout history, the people who possessed the best information have always been the most powerful. This is especially true today. Knowing where and how to find the knowledge you need is an essential skill for success at home and in the work place.

The research techniques outlined in this resource booklet will help you find and use whatever information you may need in the rest of your life. What you learn here should become an essential tool not only for completing this program but also in anything else you may do.

Exercise 1*

1. Think of five things that have changed in the world of work since the 1960s.
2. How many of these are related to the Information Age? How?
3. What do you think New Brunswickers can do to equip themselves to live successfully under these new conditions?

WHAT ARE RESEARCH SKILLS?*

Research skills are the techniques that allow you to find whatever information you need to help you learn something new, solve a problem, form an opinion, or make a decision. They start with the ability to ask questions and find the answers in sources containing reliable information (sometimes called references). The researcher must be also able to read, listen and view effectively so that he or she can get the best and most accurate information available.