The RESEARCH
PROCESS
The ideas in
this presentation are based
on the Big6 TM model
developed by
Michael B. Eisenberg and
Robert E. Berkowitz in 1987.
For more information:
www.big6.com
Doing
research is a
complex
process.
Sometimes
students do not like
doing research because
they say it is confusing
and frustrating.
In this presentation,
we will learn
how to break down the
RESEARCH PROCESS
step-by-step.
You will see
that research can be fun
and very interesting.
Step 1
is to define or
focus your
research question
or topic.
Ask yourself :
What am I supposed to do?
What do I need to know?
What are the
questions I need
to answer?
What information
do I need to answer
my questions?
For example,
your general
topic is
RECYCLING IN
SCHOOLS.
You need to write a
report including ways
that your school can
recycle and reduce
rubbish.
You need
information in
general about
rubbish
in schools.
•
•
•
•
•
What kinds of rubbish do schools create?
How much rubbish is there in schools?
Maybe, how much rubbish per student ?
How do schools deal with rubbish?
How much does it cost to deal with rubbish?
Next, you need
information about
how schools are
reducing the
amount of rubbish
created.
And, how schools are
recycling their rubbish.
Finally, you need
to think about the
situation in your
school.
How can your school
reduce and recycle
rubbish?
Maybe, after
thinking about
these questions,
you will decide
that your topic is
too big.
Maybe,
you should focus
only on paper rubbish or
waste from the cafeteria,
not all rubbish.
Maybe, after
thinking about the
questions, you will
decide that the
topic is not big
enough.
Maybe it would be better
to research how your entire
town or city deals with
rubbish.
Step 2
is to think about from
WHERE (in what kind of
source) you will find the
information you need.
For
example :
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Newspapers
Magazines
Scholarly Journals
Books
Reference Books
Online Databases
Internet Websites
Personal Interviews
Why use a
NEWSPAPER
for research ?
•
•
•
•
•
Articles about local events
Reports the “newest” information
Photos, charts and graphs
Letters to Editor tell what readers are thinking
Statistics and quick facts
What about popular
MAGAZINES ?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Easy to read short articles
Interesting articles about current events
General info and some details
Photos, charts and graphs
Letters to Editor tell what readers are thinking
Statistics and quick facts
What about a
SCHOLARLY JOURNAL ?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Written by experts
Sometimes peer-reviewed
Original research and case studies
In-depth articles with details
Bibliographies can lead to other info
Statistics
Photos, charts and graphs
What about
BOOKS ?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Overview & details about a topic
Analysis of topic
Sometimes original research
Sometimes many opinions & viewpoints
Bibliographies can lead to other info
Photos, charts and graphs
Statistics and quick facts
What about
REFERENCE BOOKS
like encyclopedias ?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Written by experts
Overview & details about a topic
Analysis & summary of topic
Bibliographies can lead to other info
Photos, charts and graphs
Statistics and quick facts
Should not be only source
What about
specialized
ONLINE DATABASES ?
• Easy to use (after some training)
• Newspaper, journal articles and
books all from one search
• Generally accurate information
• Writers are experts
• Details about a topic
• Photos, charts, graphs
• Statistics and quick facts
What about
WEBSITES from
the Internet ?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Easy to use
Free & available from home
New information
Variety of info
Popular opinion
Info not available in print
BUT need to be critically evaluated
Should not be only source
What about
personal
INTERVIEWS ?
•
•
•
•
•
•
First hand source of info
Can lead to other sources of info
New information
Very interesting and fun
Popular opinion
Info not available in print
After thinking about
the sources of the
information for your topic
(step 2) , you may decide
to go back to step 1 and
change your topic.
It is OK to change
the focus of your topic
or change your topic
completely.
This is a normal part
of the RESEARCH PROCESS.
Discuss changing your topic
with your teacher and
explain why.
Step 3
in the RESEARCH
PROCESS is to locate
the sources of
information.
Where will you find :
•
•
•
•
Newspapers
Magazines & Scholarly Journals
Books & Reference Books
Online Databases
@
YOUR LIBRARY ! ! !
Libraries are
treasure houses of
information and
librarians are experts
at finding
information.
Go to the library and
ask for help or make an
appointment with
library staff.
You can use the
library catalogue from
home too. Go to
library.hct.ac.ae
Review the other
Plug In lessons about
USING THE LIBRARY CATALOGUE,
CALL NUMBERS and
ONLINE DATABASES if you are not
sure how to find library
resources.
To find good
information from
Internet websites, review
the Plug In lessons about
SUPER GOOGLE, WIKIs
and QUESTIONS ABOUT
WEBSITES.
Finding people to interview
about your topic can be easy or
difficult. People mentioned in
local newspaper articles may be
available.
At the end of
Step 3 (Locating the Information),
you can still decide to go back to
Step 1 (Deciding on a Topic) or
Step 2 (Deciding the sources to use
for your topic).
Sometimes
there are stones in the
road of research.
Don’t worry;
it’s normal.
Step 4
in the RESEARCH
PROCESS is reading
the information you
find and taking notes
on the useful bits.
You can make notes
on cards, on regular paper,
or using your computer
word processor. You can
highlight articles you have
photocopied.
Be sure to note
the source of all
information if you
copy it to a card or
piece of paper.
If you want to quote or
paraphrase it, you will need the
source for your Bibliography or
Reference List.
You can also make
your own database,
chart or graph
to organize the
information
you find.
Sometimes you cannot
know what information will
be useful, so take lots of
notes. You do not have to
use all your notes in your
final report.
Again,
you can decide to go
back to steps 3, 2 or 1
if you do not find the
information you need or
if you are not happy with
your topic.
Step 5
is to organize
the information
into a report or
presentation.
Take all the bits of
information from different
sources and put them
together in a new way using
your own words.
Maybe the final product
will be a written report.
It could also be a
web-posting, a
presentation or speech.
Your teacher may require a
rough draft before you turn in
the final product.
When you
are writing your report
or presentation, if you
paraphrase or
quote directly from a
particular source, you
must indicate this with
INTEXT CITATIONS.
Review the Plug In lessons
on INTEXT CITATIONS if you
do not know how to do this.
Included in
your final product will
be a list of all the
sources you read and
used. This is called a
Bibliography or
Reference List.
Review the Plug In lessons on
WRITING CITATIONS if you do
not know how to do this.
Step 6
is to think about
and evaluate your final
product and the
process.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Did you do what was required?
Are you happy with your work?
What steps were easy ?
What steps were difficult?
What steps took the most time?
What steps had problems and why?
Would you do it the same way again?
Let’s review.
Step 1 is to think
about and decide
on your topic.
Step 2 is to think about
and decide what sources
of information you need.
Step 3
is to locate the
sources of the
information.
Step 4
is to read and think
about the information
you find.
Step 5
is to write
your report
including citations
of sources.
Step 6
is to think about
the process and
your product.
Remember,
sometimes you have to
go back a step or two
if you are not happy
with where you are in
the process.
I hope this helps
you understand
the RESEARCH
PROCESS.
Ask your teacher or
your friendly librarian
if you have any
questions.
Thank you
for listening.
HAPPY
READING !