Desk Research

Lesson Details

Subject: Business
Level: Year 13 (KS5)
Curriculum Area: A-Level Business (aligns with AQA, Edexcel, and OCR specifications)
Lesson Duration: 50 minutes
Class Size: 20 students

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Understand what desk research is and how it differs from field research.
• Identify different types of desk research sources.
• Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of desk research.
• Practise conducting basic desk research using appropriate sources.

Success Criteria

• Accurately define desk research and explain its purpose.
• Recognise and categorise credible desk research sources.
• Analyse the benefits and limitations of desk research.
• Complete a structured worksheet demonstrating desk research skills.

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Lesson Structure

Starter – Field Research Questions (5 minutes)

📌 Purpose: Activates prior knowledge and builds connections to the new topic.

Time	Teacher Activity	Student Activity	Assessment & Inclusion Strategies
0-5 min	Display two questions on the board: 1) Define field research. 2) Provide two examples of field research methods.	Think-Pair-Share: Individually write responses, discuss with a partner, then share key points with the class.	- Cold calling to check understanding. - Allow writing or verbal responses to support different learning preferences. - Scaffolding through sentence starters.

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Learning Intentions & Success Criteria (2 minutes)

📌 Purpose: Sets clear expectations for learning.

Time	Teacher Activity	Student Activity	Assessment & Inclusion Strategies
5-7 min	Read out the learning objectives and success criteria. Ask students how they will know they’ve achieved them by the end of the lesson.	Listen and reflect. Some students may volunteer responses on how success will be measured.	- Display learning objectives visually and verbally for accessibility. - Reiterate objectives using simple language if needed.

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Demonstration: Useful Desk Research Websites (10 minutes)

📌 Purpose: Provides students with practical resources for desk research.

Time	Teacher Activity	Student Activity	Assessment & Inclusion Strategies
7-17 min	Live demonstration of useful secondary research sources: - Government reports (ONS, GOV.UK) - Industry reports (Mintel, IBISWorld) - Academic sources (Google Scholar, BBC Bitesize for business case studies) - Business news (FT, The Economist)	Take notes and ask questions about each source. Engage in a short discussion on why credible sources matter.	- Ask students to summarise key features of useful sources in pairs. - Provide visual and verbal explanations to cater to different learning styles. - Offer printed guides for students who need additional support.

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Overview: Types, Advantages & Disadvantages (15 minutes)

📌 Purpose: Covers theoretical understanding of desk research, supporting exam preparation.

Time	Teacher Activity	Student Activity	Assessment & Inclusion Strategies
17-32 min	Deliver an engaging breakdown of desk research: - Internal vs external sources (company reports vs market research reports) - Key advantages (cost-effective, time-saving, broad data range) - Key disadvantages (outdated data, possible bias, lack of specific insights) Use a T-chart on the board to build student responses on pros and cons.	- Contribute ideas to the T-chart. - Work in small groups to construct one advantage and one disadvantage. - Answer teacher questions to check understanding.	- Use cold calling and nomination techniques to encourage participation. - Support students with guided questioning if struggling. - Allow verbal responses for those who prefer discussion over writing.

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Desk Research Worksheet Task (18 minutes)

📌 Purpose: Allows students to apply knowledge in a structured and independent way.

Time	Teacher Activity	Student Activity	Assessment & Inclusion Strategies
32-50 min	Hand out worksheets with a real-world scenario (e.g. a business looking for secondary data on expansion). Circulate and provide individual guidance. Ensure students use at least two sources from the earlier demonstration.	- Work independently or in pairs. - Identify relevant sources and extract key insights. - Justify their chosen sources in written form. - Ask for support if needed.	- Offer scaffolded worksheet versions (e.g. sentence starters for those who require support). - Encourage peer support and group collaboration for students who may benefit from discussion first. - Provide a challenge activity for fast finishers (e.g. "Evaluate whether primary data would be more useful in this scenario").

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Plenary – Reflect & Review (Last 2 minutes)

📌 Purpose: Reinforces learning and encourages self-evaluation.

Time	Teacher Activity	Student Activity	Assessment & Inclusion Strategies
48-50 min	Ask: "What is the most valuable thing you learned today?" and "How will desk research be useful in a business setting?"	Reflect individually and share answers with a partner or class.	- Use a quick-fire round to check recall. - Provide exit tickets for quieter students to write responses.

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Homework/Extension Task (Optional)

• Research a case study of a business using desk research effectively (e.g. a UK supermarket analysing market reports).
• Prepare a short analysis on how desk research helped them make strategic decisions.

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Wow Factor for the Teacher

• Engagement Focus: Think-Pair-Share, cold calling, interactive T-chart, and real-world application activity.
• Inclusivity: Scaffolding, varied response formats, peer collaboration, and independent research.
• Application-Driven: Links to practical business scenarios and websites students may use in professional settings.
• Exam-Relevant: Clear connections to A-Level Business exam topics (market research, decision-making, and data interpretation).

This lesson plan ensures students not only understand desk research but also leave with practical research skills applicable to both business studies and real-world decision-making. 🚀🔥