Information Management
Year 10
Comprising of three sections:
 Theory
 Hot Potatoes Exercises
 Peer Research Assignment
Research Unit – Theory
Please make notes as you work through the
presentation
Research is about
gathering together all
sorts of information so
that you can find out
or investigate topics
for yourself.
One of the most important things to understand
about conducting research is that it cannot be done
overnight. This is because The questioning and information gathering process
may need to be refined as you locate new materials.
 The use of many different resource tools is usually
required. It takes time to visit the library, use the
computer, read books, source newspaper articles
etc.
You may have problems finding the information on
your own and need the assistance of a teacher,
librarian, parents and so on.
Materials that you need may not be immediately
available – ie placed on a ‘wait list’ for library books.
Do not presume that you can
very quickly find the
information you need straight
away by going on the Internet.
A variety of sources is required
for research – the Internet is
not the only solution.
Finding the right information
takes time.
Read your question(s) carefully.
Explore your questions – brainstorm.
Search for information.
Extract information and take notes.
Assemble your notes.
Review to make sure you have everything.
Combine all information.
How did you go? Evaluate.
The Research Process
Questioning
Planning
Gathering
Sorting
Synthesizing
Evaluating
Reporting
Acknowledgements
Questioning
What problem needs solving?
What decision or choice needs making?
What is it you want to know?
What interests you?
Make your questions about the topic clear
and relevant.
What kind of information do you need to
look for – facts, opinions, news reports,
research studies, personal reflections,
history etc.
To do research you must prepare a
question(s) that your work will strive
to answer.
Good questions lead to good research.
Are you developing an argument or just
wanting to provide your reader with
information.
Developing Research
Questioning Pathways
Factual Questioning
The five W’s and a H
Who
When
What
Why
Where
How
Factual Questioning
example
For an assignment on Sir Robert Muldoon
Who was Robert Muldoon?
What political party did he lead?
Where and when was he born?
Why did he choose that particular
party?
How did he rise through the ‘ranks’?
OR
Asking Interpretive Questions – questions
as a result of your own original thinking.
Hypothetical – How would things be different today if
something in the past had been different?
Prediction – How will something look or be in the
future, based on the way it is now?
Solution – What solutions can be offered to a
problem that exists today?
Comparison or Analogy – Find the similarities and
differences between the main subject and similar
subject, or with another subject in the same time,
period or place.
Judgement – Based on the information you find what
can you say as your informed opinion about the
subject.
Planning
 Make sure your topic is ‘do-able’ – something
you can complete in the time you have.
 Think of different ways of ‘exploring’ your
topic - brainstorm.
 Make a list of what needs to be done.
 What do you already know – your general
knowledge.
 Make a list of resources and their original
source.
 Formulate a priority list of resources – which
ones will give the best information.
Clustering Your Ideas
An Ideas Map is used for gathering
and identifying aspects of a topic to
provide the basis for research.
Place keywords in the circles and line
extensions to identify main headings.
1
4
Main Idea
3
2
Note Taking Sheets
Note Taking Sheets allow you to record
the main ideas and the most important
information from your sources.
Use main headings, keywords and bullets
for different points.
Use just a word or short phrase to
express an idea.
Notes should be in your own words.
If you copy something word-for-word
use quotation marks.
Example Note Taking Sheet
Note Taking Sheet
Topic/Question(s): …………………………………………………………………….
Source
Author
Date
Title
Place of Pub.
URL
Source
Author
Date
Title
Place of Pub.
URL
Main Idea 1:
Summary Notes
………………………………………….
Keywords:
Summary Notes
Main Idea 2:
Summary Notes
………………………………………….
Keywords:
Summary Notes
Gathering
The first priority is to remain focussed on your
aim and your question(s) at all times.
Efficient gathering consists of two parts:
* first locate historical or background
information on your given topic
* secondly, locate current information.
Using more than one source of information
gives you a clearer understanding. There are
many other sources apart from the Internet.
If you find too many, or too few, sources you
may need to narrow or broaden your topic.
Familiarise yourself with a range of
available research materials.
Traditional Print Sources
 Journals
 Books
 Magazines
 Newspapers
 Community leaflets and
pamphlets
Electronic Sources
 World Wide Web
 CD Roms such as
Encarta
 Online Encyclopedias
such as Britannica
 Audio and Video
 DVD
Other Sources – interviews, observations, surveys,
artifacts, graphs/charts/tables, experts in the field
and sources within your local environment.
Sorting
FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT
Most people:
read too much
copy out too much
use the Internet too much
photocopy too much
forget to acknowledge their sources.
Extracting the Information
Various Options
 From written material – photocopy, write,
highlight.
 From audio/video – listen or view whole
presentation first, listen or view again
stopping to write down important points.
 From electronic sources – downloading
information, ensure files are appropriate.
Record the sources of your information.
Make sure the information you are
collecting is about your topic and don’t
waste time on irrelevant material – do
these sources tell me what I need to
know?
Take note of any copyright/publishing
dates – is it the most recent
information.
Evaluate the reliability and usefulness
of the information – be aware of the
differences between fact and opinion.
Be watchful for propaganda or biased
information.
Note Taking
 Make sure you have clearly identified
your main ideas (through an Ideas Map)
incorporating keywords, dates, names
etc. Use Note Taking Sheets referred
to in the Planning Section.
 Note taking is to list briefly the most
important facts, ideas, points or
arguments from the information source.
It is not meaningless copying out of
information. Notes should be well set
out with numbered headings and
subheadings. They will probably not be
full sentences.
Synthesizing
Synthesizing is organising your material from
its various sources and putting it into a logical
order or sequence.
Decide what is important – record it clearly
and briefly.
Only include what you feel to be the most
important points.
Eliminate information which is repeated or
doesn’t belong.
Make sure you include whatever is going to
be necessary to identify your source later
(ie title, author, publisher, copyright,
website etc).
Development of Material
Create an outline
Create a storyboard
Make a sketch
Write a rough draft
Where possible use graphics/images to
depict
your
information
and
to
demonstate how it comes together.
Consider:
charts
tables
timelines
ClipArt
picture images.
You now put all of your information
together as a draft format. Refer
back to your “W and H” questions as a
focus in relation to the analysis of
your research.
Have your Questions been answered?
Evaluating
Review your assignment, be critical of
its format – what are its strengths
and weaknesses.
Have you answered your questions
with accuracy and detail?
Are changes needed – do you possibly
need to redirect your research as a
result of material gathered?
Have you met the criteria set up for
the assignment?
Are you satisfied with your research
results?
Have I remained focussed on my
task?
Is my information clearly and logically
organised?
Have I used a variety of sources?
Have you done everything, is
everything included?
Is it complete?
Reporting
Edit, spellcheck and proofread.
Pay attention to details such as
neatness, consistency etc.
Remember your report must:
* explain the information
* summarise the information.
Presenting the Informaton
Be aware of who your report is for and
what will be the best form.
There are countless ways information can
be presented:
Verbally
Mathematically
Visually
Diagramatically
Musically/rhythmically/dramatically etc
Verbally
Mathematically
Musically
Dramatically
Visually
CONTINUALLY CLICK
Diagramatically
Rhythmically
radio waves
receiver where
waves are collected
last (third)quarter
waning Moon
moon orbit`s
earth
SUN
gibbous moon
crescent
earth
waves
converted into
electro signals
full moon
new moon
computer
received as signal
gibbous moon
crescent
waxing Moon
first quarter
Acknowledging Sources
Give credit where credit is due. Whenever
you obtain information from elsewhere you
must be sure to give the author of the work
credit. Knowingly representing the work of
others as your own is “plagarism”.
Plagarising someone’s work is unethical
and it is against the law. Copyright law
protects an author’s work from being
copied without his/her permission. In order
to comply with copyright law, you should
always credit the source.
The most common and acceptable way of
acknowledging your sources is through a
bibliography. A bibliography is a list of
all the sources you used in your research
ie the books and other forms of material
used to obtain information on a subject.
It is usually included as a separate page
at the end of your assignment and titled
“Bibliography”. Certain information must
be supplied in a bibliography.
Bibliography Requirements
For a Book
Author’s Last Name, Author’s First
Name.
Publication Year.
Title.
Publisher Location (town or city).
Publisher.
For an Encyclopedia Article
Encyclopedia Name.
Edition Year.
“Article” Title.
For a Newspaper, Magazine, Periodical
or Journal Article
Author’s Last Name, Author’s
First Name.
Publication Date.
Publication Title.
Page Numbers.
For a Film, Video, DVD or CD Rom
Title.
Release Date.
Studio or Distributor.
Length.
For an Internet Source
 Author’s Last Name, Author’s First
Name.
 Year.
 “Article or Page Title” Site Name.
 URL (Website Address).
Research Unit Bibliography
example
Books
Broadbent, Coral. (1982). Library skills.
Christchurch: Action.
Gawith, Gwen. (1991). Ripping into
research. Hong Kong: Longman Paul.
CD Rom
Encarta Premium Suite. (2004). Microsoft.
Internet
Cambridge Rindage and Latin School. (2004).
Brainstorming research questions.
www.crlsresearchguide.org
Glasgow, Janice. (2004). Research ideas.
www.qucis.queensu.ca
Lew, Jonathan. (2004). Research skills.
www.jlhs.nhusd.k12.ca.us
Pledger, P. (2004). Research help.
www.members.ozemail.com.au
YSU Grant Team. (2004). Steps in the
research and writing process.
A good way to get started. (2004)
www.karn,ohiolink.edu www.big6.com
Research strategy. (2004).
The seven steps of the research process.
www.library.cornell.edu
Evaluating sources. Introduction. (2004)
www.owl.english.purdue.edu
Info zone research skills area. Are you about
to do research? (2004).
www.pembinatrails.ca
Research skills tutorial module 1: The
research process – UMUC. When should I
begin my research? (2204). www.umuc.edu
You have now completed Section
One of the Research Unit.
Make sure you have adequate
notes so that you can commence
the Hot Potatoes exercises.
Hot Potatoes – click for
information on the next slide
Follow these instructions to activate Section
Two - the Hot Potatoes exercises:
go back to the Information Technology
website
Year 10 link
Units of Work – Research Unit
Section Two – Hot Potatoes, complete the
five exercises following the instructions.
Peer Research Assignment – click for
information on the next slide.
Research Unit When you have completed
the Hot Potatoes exercises
Peer Assignment
you are then to go to
Section Three the
Peer
Research Assignment ie
back to the Information
Technology website.
Once Section Three is
completed that then brings
you to the end of the
Research Unit of Work.