Test School

A

Ask Questions

First ask yourself, “What do I need to know?” This is linked to the assignment given to you by your classroom teacher. There may be specific information required by your teacher, or it may be up to you to determine the specific information to include. Write down the questions you are going to be trying to find the answers for during your research.

G

Gather Information

Gather the materials you will need to find the answers. This means get an encyclopedia, book, map, magazine, newspaper, and/or use the computer to find the resources that you think have the information to answer your questions. You may also decide to interview someone who is an ‘authority’ on your topic. Be sure to evaluate these sources for reliable information using the format your teachers have given you. For example, a webpage on the internet can be posted by anyone, so be sure that the information can be trusted. If you are not sure, ask!

O

Organize

Record and organize the information as you find it. (Your teacher may require you to use a certain organizer.) Organizing the information will help you easily turn it into paragraphs, charts or posters. Don’t forget to write down where the information came from.

P

Prepare

Think of this step as the drafting step. You will take the notes on the organizers and prepare the information for completion of your task or assignment. You might have to do rough draft and a final draft, or your organized information might be ready to be put into a Power Point presentation, or made into a poster or brochure. This step often takes the most time. It can’t be done well unless you’ve thoroughly completed the previous steps.

P

Present

Your research is now ready to present to the intended audience. You might have to turn something in to the teacher, or do a presentation in front of a group. The presentation step is a time to evaluate how you did. Look back at your original research questions. Did you find the answers you were looking for? Did all the tools you used work, or is there something you should change next time you research?