Welcome
th
5
grade!
Research Skills
OVERVIEW
 What
is Research?
 Big 6 Research Guide ©
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Task Definition
Information-seeking Strategies
Location and Access
Use of Information
Synthesis
Evaluation
What is Research?
 Research
is the act of collecting
information about a particular subject or
topic.
 We
will follow the steps as identified in the
Big 6 Research Guide ©.
Big 6 Research Guide

Step 1. Task Definition
What is your topic?
What do you want to know?
What types of information do you need?
What Is Your Topic? What Do you
Want to Know?
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If your topic is too broad, you will have too much information to read!
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Example: Animals
If you topic is too broad, you will have to narrow it down.

Narrow your topic down. Example: Desert Animals
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Be more specific. Example: Camels
Make a list of information you want to know or teacher requirements.
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What kinds of information do you need?
Brainstorm your topic to determine the best sources of information.
Big 6 Research Guide

Step 2: Information Seeking Strategies
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What are some possible sources to check?
newspapers
thesaurus dictionary
Encyclopedia; on-line database (Athena) (Galileo) (Culturegrams)
(Thinkfinity) atlas
nonfiction
almanac
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Which ones will you check first? Why?
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You will need a variety of useful resources.
Select the Best Sources
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Encyclopedia – provides general information and
overview of your topic. A good place to start.
On-line databases – electronic sources (Athena, Galileo,
Thinkfinity, Culturegrams web sites)
Thesaurus – provides synonyms/antonyms for overused
words
Dictionary – provides information about words
Almanac – provides recent facts and is published yearly
(statistics, charts, graphs, tables, weather
Atlas – a collection of maps and gives lots of info about
places)
Newspapers – contain current information,
advertisements, letters; published daily, weekly, bi
weekly, monthly
Big 6 Research Guide

Step 3: Location and Access

Use tools to gather your sources and then find information in the sources.
*Check the card catalog (Athena)
nonfiction: biography, natural science, history, geography
* Reference books
* Search online
* Ask Mrs. Howard & Mrs. Mobley for help
Big 6 Research Guide
 Step
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4: Use of Information
How useful are your sources?
Read – scan headings & chapter outlines, use
index, table of contents
Take notes on relevant information
Paraphrase
Look for graphics
Big 6 Research Guide

Step 5: Synthesis

What is the best format?
• Written? Visual Aid? Video? Power Point?
• Organize your information.
Follow teacher’s instructions.
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Have you included all important information?
(source of info; author; title of article or book; etc.)
Write first draft.
Tips on Taking Notes
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Read entire article. Pick out important facts.
Reread facts. Write in own words (paraphrase).
Do not copy word for word. (Plagiarism)
Use index cards for writing notes. Include topic,
subtopic, source of info (title, author, publisher,
page numbers, volume, copyright date)
Use “quotation marks” to show exact words of
author.
You will need all info for bibliography page.
Big 6 Research Guide
 Step
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6: Evaluation
Have you met all teacher’s requirements?
What is the best part of your research?
What could you have done better?
Write final draft.
PLAGIARISM
What is it?
Plagiarism
 (play-ger-ism)
Using part of a book, paper,
photo, or web page of someone else
without permission or without telling where
it came from is stealing. If you turn it in as
your own work, you are cheating and are
guilty of plagiarism.
PLAGIARISM
The Miriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition defines plagiarize
as “to steal and pass off the ideas and words of another as one’s own.”
“When Marion Copied” is a book telling about plagiarism that your
teacher may want to read to you. To prevent plagiarism, always
respect copyright and give credit to all sources.
Emphasize author and title information, add dates (copyright year, date of web
site, date of e-mail) and include publishing information.
Berg, Brook. When Marion Copied. Fort Atkinson: Upstart Books,
2006.
COPYRIGHT & FAIR USE
 Copyright
is a form of protection provided
by the laws of the United States (Title 17,
U. S. Code) to the authors of “original
works of authorship”. This protection is
available for both published and
unpublished works.

Gary H. Becker. Copyright: A Guide to Information and
Resources. Gary H. Becker, 1977.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Becker, Gary H. Copyright: A Guide to Information and
Resources. Florida: Gary H. Becker, 1977.
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Berg, Brook. When Marion Copied. Wisconsin: Upstart
Books. 2006.
Eisenberg,
Mike, and Bob Berkowitz. The Big 6
Collection. Ohio: Linworth, 2000
“Library/Information
Literacy Tutorials.”
InfoSavvyStudent. Ver.7.1. CD-ROM. Columbus,
GA: The Pierce Group, 2003
Data Bases
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ATHENA – Automated Library System
(0n-line card catalog)
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Search by title, author, subject
 http://galsw1.gsu.edu/kids/
SIRS Discoverer – magazines, newspaper articles,
biographies, country facts, pictures, and maps
Britanica Elementary – Encylopedia entries, theasarus
and dictionary
Digital Library – Georgia history in books, letters, photos,
etc.
http://online.culturegrams.com/
 Click
Kids Edition – database of countries
http://www.thinkfinity.org/
Click student – database of maps,
features of month, references, etc.
Happy Halloween!

http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/Halloween/

http://blackdog.net/holiday/halloween/index.html

http://www.thekidzpage.com