A sound research methodology outlines how you will gather and interpret the information needed to answer your research question. For the HL Essay, this primarily involves engaging with your chosen text(s) (primary sources) and selectively consulting existing scholarship (secondary sources).

Primary Sources:
● Definition: These are the original texts that form the core of your analysis. For the HL Essay, your primary source(s) are the literary or non-literary texts you have chosen to write about (e.g., Frankenstein, a collection of Wilfred Owen's poetry, a specific series of Coca-Cola advertisements, an influential political speech).
● Engagement: Your methodology for primary sources involves:
○ Close Reading and Annotation: This is paramount. You need to read your chosen text(s) multiple times, actively annotating for recurring themes, significant literary/rhetorical devices, character development, structural patterns, and any elements that directly pertain to your research question.
○ Extraction of Evidence: Systematically identify and record specific textual evidence (quotes, specific passages, visual elements in non-literary texts) that will support your analytical points.
○ Initial Interpretation: As you read, begin to form initial interpretations and connections between different parts of the text and your research question.

Secondary Sources:
● Definition: These are critical or scholarly works that discuss or analyze your primary source(s), or provide relevant contextual information (historical, biographical, theoretical). Examples include academic journals, scholarly books, reputable literary criticism, or credible historical accounts.
● Purpose: Secondary sources are not meant to replace your own analysis. Instead, they serve to:
○ Provide Context: Offer insights into the historical, social, or cultural background relevant to your text.
○ Introduce Critical Perspectives: Show you how other scholars have interpreted your text, allowing you to agree, disagree, or build upon their arguments. This demonstrates critical engagement.
○ Offer Theoretical Frameworks: Introduce you to literary theories or linguistic concepts that can inform your analysis.
○ Support Your Claims (with caution): You might use a secondary source to support a factual claim or to bolster a contextual point, but never to replace your direct textual analysis.

Engagement (Research Process):
○ Targeted Search: Once you have a clear research question, use academic databases (e.g., JSTOR, Project MUSE, university library catalogues) to find relevant scholarly articles and books. Use keywords derived from your research question, author's name, and text titles.
○ Skimming and Critical Evaluation: You won't read every secondary source cover-to-cover. Skim abstracts, introductions, and conclusions to determine relevance. Critically evaluate the credibility and academic rigor of each source. Is it peer-reviewed? Is the author an expert in the field?
○ Selective Note-Taking: Record key arguments, useful definitions, or factual information that directly pertains to your research question. Always note down the author, title, publication details, and page numbers for future referencing.
○ Integration: Decide how you will integrate secondary sources into your essay. They should enhance your argument, not dominate it. Often, they are used in the introduction (to establish critical context), a literature review section, or within body paragraphs to support a contextual point or to show your awareness of different interpretations.

Ethical Considerations and Academic Honesty:
Developing a robust methodology also includes a strict adherence to academic honesty. This is paramount for the HL Essay and is explicitly assessed.
● Integrity of Work: All ideas, analysis, and words presented in your essay must be your own, unless explicitly attributed.
● Proper Citation: Any information, ideas, or direct quotations taken from primary or secondary sources must be meticulously acknowledged using a consistent and recognized citation style (e.g., MLA or Chicago). Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism.

● Avoiding Plagiarism:
○ Direct Plagiarism: Copying text verbatim without quotation marks and citation.
○ Mosaic Plagiarism: Borrowing phrases or clauses from a source without quotation marks, or combining material from different sources without proper citation.
○ Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Restating a source's ideas in your own words without citation, or changing only a few words while maintaining the original sentence structure.
○ Self-Plagiarism: Submitting work you have previously submitted for another assessment.

● Record Keeping: Maintain a detailed record of all sources consulted during your research, including full bibliographic information. This will make compiling your Works Cited/Bibliography much easier and ensure accuracy.