The process of conducting research involves several critical steps to ensure thorough and focused inquiry. Initially, students should create questions that help direct their investigation into a specific research topic.
Strategy:Provide students with templates as suggestions for how to organize information. They can adjust it however they would like but having a template can help provide a starting point.
Skill: Being able to organize their findings in a way that makes sense and helps to answer all of their research questions
Strategy: Students must analyze the information they have found and compare it with the point they are trying to make. If the information helps strengthen their point, they can find a place for it in their work. If the information does not strengthen their point, than they can leave it out.
Skill: Being able to decide whether the information they have found will be helpful in forming their argument or discussion.
Investigating
Strategy: As a class, prior to starting projects, do some fake research with a general topic in mind. While doing the research as a class, have students decide if the topic needs to be adapted at all based on the new information that has been gained. While students are working on a project, remind them that this may happen, and it is okay if they do need to change their original idea to fit the new information.
Skill: Being able to adapt and/or narrow in the focus of the topic as new information is found.
Strategy: Have students jot down the key pieces of information that need to be found. This can serve as a guideline when they are actually doing their research. Prior to starting any projects, explore various resources with students that they can use. This can help them to create a list of possible sources when it comes time to create their plan.
Skill: Creating a plan for research by deciding what information needs to be found and brainstorming some sources that might be helpful.
Creating
Strategy: Practice using the "one to glow, one to grow" strategy for self-assessment so that students know the importance of both positive and critical feedback.
Skill: Being able to self-assess their work honestly and critically to help improve their learning and future work.
Strategy: Discuss with students the different types of options they have for presenting the information. Explore these different options with them prior to starting research and keep a chart/poster available so that they can reference it to help choose a resource.
Skill: Choosing the appropriate/most effective way of presenting the information that they have found.
Exploring
Strategy: Once students have found their focused topic, have them come up with as many questions as they can that could help them research.
Skill: Creating questions that will help direct research to find answers about "research topic".
Strategy: When students come up with a topic for research, have them see if it can be narrowed down anymore. Continue to do this until it can't be narrowed down any further.
Skill: Being able to narrow down ideas to form a specific topic for research.
