How you research determines the quality of everything that follows. The best EEs aren't written by the smartest students — they're written by the ones who researched most effectively. Method is what separates good from great.
The Three-Level Research Funnel
Level 1: Google
Definitions, context, policy documents, government data, think tanks. This is your foundation — don't skip it, but don't stop here either.
Level 2: Google Scholar
Peer-reviewed arguments, models, frameworks, academic debates. This is where depth lives and where strong essays distinguish themselves.
Level 3: PDF-Only Searches
Full research papers, original datasets, foundational studies. Most students never reach this level — that's where their research suffers.
The EE Dump Method
Before you start formal research, use the EE Dump method to build your knowledge base:
- 1Break your RQ into 5 subtopics
- 2Google each subtopic — go through all relevant links
- 3Dump relevant information into a document with source links
- 4Repeat on Google Scholar for academic depth
- 5Look for unexpected connections between subtopics
There is no word limit for your EE Dump. The more you dump, the more confident you'll be when writing. You won't need to keep searching during the writing phase.
Google Scholar Search Strategy
Search Narrowly
Not "Inflation India" but "monetary policy transmission India inflation." Specificity gets better results.
Sort by Relevance
Not by date. New doesn't mean good. Influential doesn't mean outdated.
Open 3 Papers Max
Scan abstract, introduction, and conclusion. If it doesn't directly help, discard it.
Follow Citations
Good papers cite their sources. Follow references to find foundational research.
Search Operators
| Operator | What It Does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Quotes "" | Exact phrase search | "voter behaviour social media" |
| filetype:pdf | Only PDF results | climate change impact filetype:pdf |
| site: | Search specific domains | inflation data site:gov |
| intitle: | Search in page titles | intitle:"extended essay" guide |
Evaluating Sources
For every source you include, document three things:
- 1The core claim (one sentence)
- 2The evidence or method used to support it
- 3Any limitation or bias to be aware of
Red flags: blog posts with no citations, news articles used as analysis (they're fine for context), papers that only describe without arguing, anything without a clear methodology.
Key Takeaways
- Research through three levels: Google → Scholar → PDF-only
- Use the EE Dump method before formal research
- Each sub-question needs 2-3 strong sources
- Document core claims, evidence, and limitations for every source