Researching
You can (and might need to) conduct research at any stage of the project.
For example, research can help inform your criteria for success and planning and also guide you as you figure out how to overcome challenges while making your product.
Identify prior learning and subject-specific knowledge relevant to your project
You should identify prior learning that you have about your topic. This might include knowledge and skills from:
personal experience
subject-specific knowledge and understanding that you developed in school or in the world beyond the classroom
Student Resources: Prior Learning and Knowledge
The resources below can be used to help you document your prior learning. You can use one of these resources or you can answer these questions in your process journal:
What do I already know about my topic from my own personal experience?
What do I already know (skills, content knowledge) from my classes? This can including learning from the past.
What else will I need to know/research for my project?
Developing Inquiry Questions
After completing your prior learning exploration, you have begun to explore your prior knowledge your topic. You also identified what else you might need to know for your project. The next step is to write inquiry questions that will drive your research.
You will write:
Big (overarching) inquiry question to guide all your research and this is the question your project and report will answer.
Smaller inquiry question(s) will help you find knowledge and skills you need to help you to answer your "BIG" question.
Student Resources: Inquiry Questions
Recording and Evaluating Sources
Finding your Sources;:
Your research should might include a variety and range of sources to meet your learning goal and product goal.
Consider which sources of information might be able to provide answers to your inquiry question(s).
Remember: You might have to conduct research at various stages in your project in order to gain new perspective, find solutions to challenges, and modify your plans.
Evaluating Your Sources
As you have done in your subject area classes, you will need to evaluate each of your sources for reliability and relevance.
Reliability: determining if a source is trustworthy and credible to include as a source for your project
Relevance: determining how this source is helpful or useful for your project (value and limitation)
OPCVL Process
The OPCVL process will help you evaluate sources for reliability and relevance.
Bibliography & MLA Format
Academic Honesty
You must:
demonstrate academic honesty and cite every instance of the work or ideas of others using MLA format
include in-text citations that clearly note the resources used within your project report
Creating your Bibliography
Begin creating a bibliography using MLA format. You may use the built-in citation tools in Google Scholar or other databases. You also can use easybib, an online citation maker.
BE CAUTIOUS: Not all citations generated will be accurate. Be sure to check the information and formatting. The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a great resource to check your MLA citations.
Applying ATL Skills
Throughout the process, of your project, you will demonstrate many different research skills, including information literacy and media literacy skills.
Research ATL skills.pdfAs you reflect on the development of your research skills, some skills might be more challenging.
Use the table to the right to help guide your reflection.
Consider:
Which information literacy and media literacy skills (from the document above) did you demonstrate?
How did you demonstrate those skills in your research process?
What evidence do you have in your process journal?
How did your research skills improve during this process?
Did you get help from anyone (teacher, librarian, peer)?
