The Big6 Research Process
The Big6 is a widely-used information literacy approach developed by Michael Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz, information literacy educators. This process will help you identify research goals, seek, use, and assemble relevant, credible information, then to reflect - is the final product effective and was my process efficient.
Pre-Research
Choose a topic...
Look at what is going on in politics, on the news, in your neighborhood, or in your school. Take a stand on something you firmly believe in, and prepare to support it. Or pick a topic and dig deeper to find out what caused the problem or what the solution may be.
Here are some websites with some suggestions:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/research-paper-topics-for-middle-school.html
http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.htm
Look at what is going on in politics, on the news, in your neighborhood, or in your school. Take a stand on something you firmly believe in, and prepare to support it. Or pick a topic and dig deeper to find out what caused the problem or what the solution may be.
Here are some websites with some suggestions:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/research-paper-topics-for-middle-school.html
http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.htm
Step 1: Task Definition
What is my big problem or essential question? Write it down!
What information do I need to solve the problem and answer the question?
Make a list of the additional questions to ask in order to answer your essential question.
What information do I need to solve the problem and answer the question?
Make a list of the additional questions to ask in order to answer your essential question.
Step 2: Information Seeking Strategies
What are all the possible sources of information? (Encyclopedia, atlas, informational book, interview, online journal article, etc.)
What are the best sources to help answer my question?
Make a list of the sources you will use in order to answer your essential question.
What are the best sources to help answer my question?
Make a list of the sources you will use in order to answer your essential question.
Step 3: Location and Access
Find my sources.
Find information within my sources that answers my question.
Frost Library Catalog KYVL - for online encyclopedia and journal articles
When you use a search engine (ex: Google) to find websites, be sure the sites are credible before taking information from them. Is the site up-to-date? Can you verify the information on another website? Is the author listed? Is it a government or educational website? No wikis or blogs!
Find information within my sources that answers my question.
Frost Library Catalog KYVL - for online encyclopedia and journal articles
When you use a search engine (ex: Google) to find websites, be sure the sites are credible before taking information from them. Is the site up-to-date? Can you verify the information on another website? Is the author listed? Is it a government or educational website? No wikis or blogs!
Step 4: Use of Information
Engage the information (read it, hear it, view it, touch it)
Extract relevant information (what's useful here?)
Take notes - but only write important information, and do not copy word-for-word. Read the information, try to understand it, then write it in your own words.
Helpful website: http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/studysmart/take_notes.html
Cite all your sources - write down where you are getting your information. The last page of your project/report should be a complete numbered list of ALL your sources, listed in alphabetical order.
Helpful citation websites:
http://easybib.com/ or http://www.citationmachine.net/
On either website, copy and paste your citations into your research document sources cited page.
Extract relevant information (what's useful here?)
Take notes - but only write important information, and do not copy word-for-word. Read the information, try to understand it, then write it in your own words.
Helpful website: http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/studysmart/take_notes.html
Cite all your sources - write down where you are getting your information. The last page of your project/report should be a complete numbered list of ALL your sources, listed in alphabetical order.
Helpful citation websites:
http://easybib.com/ or http://www.citationmachine.net/
On either website, copy and paste your citations into your research document sources cited page.
Step 5: Synthesis
Organize all my information from all my sources. (Based on your teacher's rubric/scoring guide)
Present the information as an answer to a question or solution to a problem. Make sure your presentation is easy to understand by your audience!
Present the information as an answer to a question or solution to a problem. Make sure your presentation is easy to understand by your audience!
Step 6: Evaluation
Judge the product (did I answer my essential question?)
Judge the process (how well did I find information?)
What would you change next time? What would you do exactly the same?
Judge the process (how well did I find information?)
What would you change next time? What would you do exactly the same?
Source: The Big6 website http://big6.com