The research process Developing research skills in students Graphic from: http://www.transforming.com/images/small%20process%20graphic.jpg

Overview

Introduction This tutorial looks at the process involved in student research and outlines the stages at which the components of research would typically be used. Other modules and courses investigate in more detail some of the particular research skills and tasks themselves. To move through much of this tutorial you will need to use the forward and back buttons as shown below as well as clicking your mouse.

The Research Process: Plan

Define your topic Start by asking: What do I want to find out? Co-construct learning with your students by negotiating the framework for their learning based on their interests and goals. Teachers take the time at this stage to define the essential question, task or learning scenario.

What do I already know? This is a quick list, brainstorm or KWL of knowledge and ideas you already have about the topic. I know that…. I think that….. I wonder if ….. It’s a good idea to record this list so that we can see our early thinking in front of us. It helps us form questions and measure our progress later.

Developing research questions Research is usually associated with combining information from different sources to help us solve a problem or to clarify our thinking. The number of questions we need to ask always varies but having a structure or plan to follow helps. Writing research questions can be likened to an informational report. We provide a main title, then subtitles, provide supporting information using paragraphs and finally write a conclusion. We follow the same format to write research questions. Heading Sub Heading Sub Heading Sub Heading Conclusion Introduction

Developing research questions (2) Questions almost always create more questions. How you ask the essential question dramatically effects the direction and outcome of the research. Consider the outcome if our example question had been asked in the following ways? Does genetic modification of animals improve our lives? This question only asks for a yes / no answer How can genetic modification of animals improve our lives? This question is one sided and assumes a positive stance.

Key Words and Phrases Key words and phrases are derived from our questions and brainstorming. We use key words to: Learn important definitions. Search the internet and library. (Phrases are more search specific). Students should be aware of their key words and phrases before searching the internet.

The Research Process

Strategy for gathering information This is a plan to keep us on track and focused. List how and where you will try to find information to answer your questions. You already have a list of key words to help you search for your information but there are a few more things to know about searching the internet . Keep reading this tutorial to find out more. People are a great source of information. There maybe an expert that you can speak or write to in your local community. There are several ways of communicating with people on the internet as well. The library is a great place to find information. Search the catalog or reference section. There are often magazines, newspapers and even dvds at public libraries. Ask a librarian if you are having problems finding what you are after. Click the pictures for more information

Strategy for gathering information This is an example of a search strategy template students could use to prepare them for their research

Organise your learning tools These may include: Have a copy of your questions Key words and phrases Task outline from the teacher Tools for the task: Notepad and pencil Computer, Flash drive Microphone recorder Camera / video camera

Searching the internet There are a few things to know about searching the internet effectively. Everyone knows about Google but there are more places to look and search for information. Having your list of key words and phrases will be very handy at this stage. Skills to learn and things to know about searching the internet. The difference between search engines and directories and when to use them. Understanding how search engines work and using them to get the results you are after. How to use tools on the internet to save and record the information that you think is relevant to your research.

Plagiarism and Copyright Plagiarism: the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work. Copyright: Is the ownership of an intellectual property within the limits prescribed by a particular nation's or international law. For example, the copyright law in NZ provides that the owner of a property has the exclusive right to print, distribute, and copy the work, and permission must be obtained by anyone else to reuse the work in these ways. Copyright is provided automatically to the author of any original work covered by the law as soon as the work is created. The author does not have to formally register the work, although registration makes the copyright more visible. This is an important issue for schools and students to understand especially when researching. It is a complex issue but in summary we are aiming to achieve the following: Whenever possible students will produce original pieces of work or use creative commons and royalty free sources. Students recognise the work of others by acknowledging they have used it in part or whole or have sought permission. It is okay to copy and paste from the internet but for the purposes of highlighting , extracting and creating ones own meaning from the sources. The internet is a free source of information for viewing but as soon as we use or copy something then these laws come into affect. Many websites have copyright conditions included for you to look at.

Website quality Not all websites are reliable. It is important for students to be aware of the validity of information they are viewing. The following is a basic checklist for testing website validity 1. Use common sense. If the site is supposed to contain education information, for example, but it talks about unrelated things, it makes sense that the site is not valid. 2. Read the "About Us." Is there contact information, as well as a clear detailing of who is responsible for creating and updating the site? 3. Check the last update. If the site hasn't been updated recently, it isn't a site from where you want to get information. The date for the most recent update usually appears at the beginning or at the end of the site's home page. 4. Compare similar sites. Check other sites that are supposed to have the same kind of information as the site you are visiting. 5. Check the domain. If the site is supposed to be a site about education, does the domain address end in .edu?

The Research Process: Search and gather

Note taking (internet) There are a number of tools that can be utilised to help a researcher on the internet. Social bookmarking tools like Diigo allow confident internet users to bookmark and highlight web pages, add sticky notes and organise information under keywords. Getting started is much simpler: Document / folder to copy / paste information into. The ability to bookmark web pages for future reference. Maintain a bibliography

Note taking: In this example, information has been copied and pasted into a word template from a website. Students use the highlighter tool to identify information they are not sure of, key information and new questions. The right hand column will be used to form the students own thinking and writing. This form of note taking can be modeled by the teacher as a guided group exercise then students can try it independently or with a partner.

What did we find out? Have we answered our questions? Conclusion We use our research to answer the essential question and any important questions that have arisen. The purpose of the conclusion is to identify and report the facts based on evidence and any supported reasoning. Quite often the research cycle ends at this point. We have answered our question after all and that would seem to be the natural end of our research. As educators we recognise that learning with purpose is far more beneficial to our students and learning must be taken a step further so that it has meaning.

Manipulating and Sharing Some of the reasons we undertake research are to prove a point, solve a problem or initiate change. Change itself can be classified as changing the way we act or think. This stage of the research process is about forming an opinion and using your research to promote that change. Identify: What is my opinion or stance? What evidence supports this? How can I best present this information to promote change in others?

Copyright licensing for schools http://www.licensing-copyright.org/ Thinikfinity 21st Century skills http://www.thinkfinity.org/21st-century-skills Kentucky Virtual Library http://www.kyvl.org/kids/homebase.html Tutorial for info power http://tip.uwyo.edu/investigating/investigate1.html Tech tips to go http://www.fcps.edu/LutherJacksonMS/library/techtips/tips/website_validity_guideline.html References: