1:2:3 Research

Activity duration: teacher directed

Researching is a means of sourcing relevant material to be used in the creation of unique and original content. It is a process of collecting information on a selected topic from a variety of sources. Research constitutes the collection, interpretation, recording, and development of thoughts, ideas and facts. It is imperative that research leads to work that is the authors own.

During this activity pupils are expected to use the previously formulated key questions.

Using the following steps students will access appropriate content for their project.

Research steps:

1. It is imperative that pupils receive approval of the topic they will be researching and their key questions (this may already have been pre-selected by the teacher in which case there will be no need for this step).
2. Explain to your students BEFORE they start searching for information that they are expected to find and use information following an agreed format. For example:
   
   -introduction
   -main content (answering key questions)
   -conclusion/summary
   -references/bibliography
   
   Note: It is also very important to let pupils know how many words they are expected to write (according to Jakob Nielsen's useit.com website, if research papers are going to be published on a website the actual word count should be less than 50% of a hard copy version).
3. Give pupils strategies to carry out effective and efficient research. Some are outlined here:
   
   - get pupils to plan their research – outline the sections needed and what will be included in each
   - get pupils to set their own time limits/guides for each section
   - encourage pupils to note down or copy and paste appropriate information, facts, and quotations with references for future use.
4. Set a time limit on the period of research.

Search engines:

1. Search engine tips:
   
   - Use keywords previously identified.
   - Encourage pupils to use synonyms as a way to find related information.
   
   Note: Students will need search terms that are sufficiently broad so that relevant websites/resources can be identified but on the other hand, pupils want them narrow enough to ensure that the number of sources is realistic.
   
   For more help on what search engines are and how to use them effectively you or your pupils can visit:
   
   - The University of South Carolina Beaufort: www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson1.shtml
   - Creating a search strategy: www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson6.shtml
   - Basic search tips: www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson7.shtml
   - Noodle tools: www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html

1. A list of safe search engines:
   
   - Kidsmart safe search sites: www.kidsmart.org.uk/yp/greatsites
   - Te Kete Ipurangi – The Online Learning Centre: www.tki.org.nz/r/ict/ictpd/downloads/internet_student_search_engines.doc
   - Te Kete Ipurangi – The Online Learning Centre: Information station link

Gathering information

Gather information from authoritative reference sources:

• websites
• books
• encyclopaedias
• magazines
• journals

Find information using email:

Encourage pupils to identify experts in the field and send emails asking for assistance and information. Pupils need to remember the Kidsmart rules when contacting people online.

One activity to demonstrate the potential risks of sending and receiving emails would be for the teacher to send out an inappropriate email to pupils and see if any pupils reply. This could lead to a discussion or revisiting the Kidsmart rules about being safe when using the internet and the importance of knowing who you are talking to online (as identified in the Kidsmart activity 1:2:1).