| Student Research Hints
|
Goal: To help students focus and refine research projects
|
Task
|
Steps
|
Think about this
|
Define
the issue / question
|
Pick a topic
|
Interests?
Curious about? Subject area issue?
|
Formulate
questions directing focus of topic
|
Brainstorming
|
Why?
How?
Which?
|
Develop
information seeking strategy
|
Define
keywords or phrases
|
What phrases
or keywords must I use?
|
What phrases
or keywords should I not use?
|
What variant
words or phrases should I use?
|
What optional
phrases or keywords should I use?
|
Locate
information sources
|
Athena
Library catalog
|
Encyclopedias
(print or online)
|
EBSCO
Magazine Index
|
UMI Newspaper
Index
|
SIRS
Knowledge Source
|
Internet
– Directories + Search engines
|
Locate
and access resources
|
Search
for information using keywords and phrases
|
Phrases - Use
quotation marks " - - - "
|
Need keyword
or phrase, use plus sign +
|
Exclude
keywords or phrases, use minus sign –
|
Search for
variant spelling or phrases, use asterisk * (i.e.: travel* searches for - travel,
travels, traveler, traveling, traveled)
|
Evaluate
and select sources
|
Check
sources for authenticity and currency
|
Author's
authority
|
Date of
information
|
Purpose? /
Fact or opinion?
|
Internet:
Domain name (.com)
Personal web page (tilde ~)
|
Record
and organize data
|
Organize data
|
Compare
information
Clarify
Arrange in logical order
|
Cite sources
|
|
Interpret
and use data (Synthesizing)
|
Evaluate data
|
What data
answers my question?
What evidence do I need to support my answer?
Do I need to find more data?
|
Compile data
|
Notes
Outline or Storyboard
|
Communicate
the product
|
Determine
audience
|
To whom am I
delivering this information?
|
Create
presentation
|
|
Evaluate
the product & process
|
Self-evaluation
Classmate evaluation
Teacher evaluation
|
Did the
research process work?
What could I do better?
Was the product effective for my audience?
Where could I improve the product?
|
