The Big6™ Skills

The Big6 is a process model of how people of all ages solve an information problem. From practice and study, we found that successful information problem-solving encompasses six stages with two sub-stages under each:

Step 1 -Task Definition

1.1 Define the problem

1.2 Identify the information requirements of the problem

Step 2-Information Seeking Strategies

2.1 Determine the range of possible sources

2.2 Evaluate the different possible sources to determine priorities

Step 3- Location and Access

3.1 Locate Sources

3.2 Find information within the sources

Step 4-Use of Information

4.1 Engage (read,hear,view,touch) the information in the source

4.3 Extract information from a source

Step 5- Synthesis: Putting it all together

5.1 Organize information from multiple sources

5.2 Create a product or performance

Step 6- Evaluation

6.1 Judge the product or performance

6.2 Judge the information-solving process

For more information and ideas, visit the Big6 website http://www.big6.com

Big6™ copyright 1990, Michael Eisenberg and Robert Berkowitz.