Research

The Research Process

The internet has made the research process seem deceptively easy.  Just Google it and you'll be fine, right? Wikipedia is certainly a great source, isn't it?

Good solid research skills are critical now more than ever.  With the tsunami of information that's returned with most Google searches and the prominence of Wikipedia as the first result returned, students need the skills to determine what information is credible, what sources can be trusted and how to locate, use and synthesize scholarly, peer-reviewed resources and information.

To this end, Mrs. Costelloe partners with classroom teachers in all disciplines to co-teach the research process and ensure that our students embed that process within the context of authentic projects at all grade levels.  The goal is to help our students become efficient, effective and ethical researchers.  A skill they will need in both college and life.

Topics covered as Mrs. Costelloe works with students embarking on research projects include:

• The use of NoodleTools to organize the research process (more info on NoodleTools below)

• Narrowing and focusing a topic

• Creating a thesis statement

• Developing keywords for searching

• Boolean searching

• The use of databases in the search process

• Website evaluation using the C.R.A.A.P. test (see below)

• Properly citing sources

• Paraphrasing, recognizing patterns and identifying "big ideas"

​Small group and one-on-one teaching sessions are always available to any students in need of additional support.

For more information, see:

• Research, NoodleTools and Citations

• Evaluating Websites