The Research Process

Topic

Subtopics

Sources

Read/Think/Select

Notetake

Sort & Number Notes

Putting the pieces together.

Copyright 2002 Deborah B. Stanley

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Made and distributed byDeborah B. Stanley

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I’ve got a researchproject due!

Let’s start at the beginning and focus on selecting a:

Topic

Topic

Concepts to Consider

Where do topics come from?

How do I search for topic information?

What makes a topic “good”?

What is a topic?

Topic

Topic

What is a topic?A topic is something that has…

Topic

Where do topicscome from?

Textbooks

Teacher’s list

Library sources Topic

Finding Your Topic

Topics Topics

Topics

Topics

Topics Topics

should be pre-searched by the student in at least three kinds of sources (formats) such as a book, an encyclopedia, and an Internet web site for supporting information.

Topics discovered in library sources

Topics found in textbooks

Topics from the teacher’s list could have been checked (pre-searched) by the library media teacher to match library sources as well as a student’s learning (dis)abilities.

automatically match the teacher’s standards-based unit of study and the student’s grade level.

Topic

Use an encyclopedia to narrow or broaden a topic.

WaterUses of Water

Irrigation

Decorating theWhite House

WH History

White House

Narrow

Broaden

When there’s too muchinformation…

When there’snot enough information…

Topic

What makes a topic

“good”? Availability of information

Readability of information

Fulfills curriculum standards or unit requirements

Will I learn?

Topic

A “good” topic…

is the on-ramp to the information super highway.

A “bad” topic…leads NO-where!

Topic

How do I search for topic information?

What types of violent weather occur on earth?

violent weather

hurricaneswind

storms haillightning

tornadoes

and later, write a thesis statement.Create a search question to guide informationexploration,

Focus on keywords in the search question, i.e.:

Use topic synonyms to expand a search.

Topic

Review topic strategies:

TopicSelection

LocateIdeas

CheckSources

SearchStrategies

Cross-Check

LOCATE topic ideas in teacher list, grade level texts, or library sources.

CHECK in the library media center for three formats with supporting information.

CROSS-CHECK in an encyclopedia to narrow or broaden a topic.

CREATE a search question, then use keywords and synonyms to investigate the topic.

Topic

Pre-searchto research!

Remember:Topic

Now you try it!

Here is a great web site for topic ideas:http://www.researchpaper.com

Topic