Explore Your Topic/Task by Asking Questions
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Task A: You are to create a Mindmeister mind map, title it “Section 1 to 3- Research- Your Name” and share it with your teacher. You will use this mind map to record your research. Follow your teacher’s directions to include the following format criteria:
Task B: What is my question to research?
Create a node entitled “Questions”. Using your initial exploration research, come up with at least 5 questions around your topic. List each of these questions in nodes around your “Questions” center node.
Access the presentation given by Ms. Breard to review the exploration tips and skills she shared with you.
*Asking FAT Questions: Your teacher will share a fantastic lesson on asking big, open-ended questions (How?, Why?, Which?, To what extent?) that leads to interesting research!
Your teacher will review your questions and give you feedback to help you choose the question for your research. You will continue your research to make sure your question really works for you.
Task C: How do I record notes from my research? Start gathering some information on your topic.
*Note Taking: Your teacher will show you how to take notes that makes it very difficult for you to plagiarize someone else’s work. To paraphrase takes lots of practice. You will use the Note tool in Mindmeister to record notes and bibliographical information. The nodes will list only a few words while the note tool will hold your notes.
Task D: What do I know now? What new questions should I ask? What further information do I need to gather?
Go to your mind map and drag all of the nodes with their notes to the right side of the diagram. This is the “What I know” area. Now think of what you don’t know and create new nodes on the left side of the diagram where you write the questions that need to be answered. You now have the “what information do I need to gather” portion of your mind map. This is where you will add notes as you do more research. Continue your research.
Task E: How clear and focused is my topic? What is the question I am really trying to answer?
Review all the notes on the right side of your mind map. Review what you need to find out as listed on the left side of your map. What is the question that you really are trying to answer? Do you need to adapt your research question now that you have more information? You will work with a table mate to share your question and understanding of topic to then receive feedback.
Task F: Research Question
You are to refine your question (you chose from the five on your mind map) by going through the following steps that Ms. Breard taught you.
Step 1: “I am trying to learn about (working on, studying) ______________”
Step 2: “because I want to find out who/what/when/where/ whether/why/how ______________”
Step 3: “in order to help my reader better understand _____________”
Step 4: Turn steps 1-3 into a full question that will be your research question.
Congratulations. You carefully went through Stage 1 of the our research process. Add a note to the center node of your mind map. Write your research question there.
Now go to Stage 2- Plan