This document outlines a six step process for researching information called the Information Search Process. The six steps are: 1) Define - determine what information is needed, 2) Locate - find sources of information, 3) Select - choose relevant information from sources, 4) Organize - arrange information in a logical way, 5) Present - communicate information in an appropriate format, 6) Evaluate - assess the research process and learning. The process is meant to teach students skills for determining their information needs, accessing and evaluating appropriate sources, synthesizing information, and reflecting on their learning.

1. St Paul’s School Parent Partnerships
23 August 2012
The Research Process
Judy Bolton
Middle School Librarian

2. Introduction
 Rename? Information Search Process
 “Research”: connotations of assignments,
school-based tasks, assessment
 “Information Search”: explains use of
process for ANYONE in ANY situation and
for ANY purpose

3. WHY?
"In the nonstop tsunami of global information, librarians provide us with
floaties and teach us how to swim."
Linton Weeks
(Washington Post article, 13 January 2001, p. C01)
Kendo’s photostreeam: http://flic.kr/p/5f7xy4
The Great Wave off Kanagawa, by Hokusai, 1823-1829. under CC Licence Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

4. The Changing Face of Information
in Education
 THEN:
“Industrial model”: transmission of finite
knowledge; gaps? ; limited sources

5.  NOW:
“Inquiry / Constructivist model”: student
based; needs driven; real-world problems
and issues; limitless amounts and
countless sources

6. Enter…. Information Literacy
We need to teach students the skills of
information literacy: determining their need,
locating sources to satisfy this need,
evaluating and selecting from the material they
find and reconfiguring the information gleaned
into a piece of new knowledge………
……..The Information Search Process

7. One Model: Six Step Process
 Step 1: Define
 Step 2: Locate
 Step 3: Select
 Step 4: Organise
 Step 5: Present
 Step 6: Evaluate

8. Or better still …..
 Cyclical, iterative….
 http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.g
ov.au/schoollibraries/teachingideas/isp/index.
htm

9. Step 1: DEFINE
“What Do I Really Want to Find Out?”
 Relate the task to their learning
 Exactly what am I required to do? (write in own
words)
 What are the key words and main ideas in the
task?
 Formulate some Focus questions to investigate
(“research” then becomes “hunting” for the
answers!)

10. Step 2: LOCATE
“Where Can I Access Information for THIS Task?”
 Connect to prior knowledge (KWL chart?) What
do I already know and what else do I need to
find out?
 Which source/s will be best? (electronic? print?
objects? people? organisations?)
 Manageable size!
 Record details of sources used

11. Step 3: Select
“What Information Do I Really Need?”
 Use key words and focus questions to skim and
scan the resource to ascertain usefulness
 Assess credibility of source / bias / fact or
opinion (NB: Back to Step 2?)
 Devise and practise a method of recording
information (not just note taking!) and
summarising
 Record quotations and sources of information

12. Step 4: Organise
“How Can I Use this Information?”
 Do I have enough / too much information for my
purpose?
 Consider the best way to combine the
information
 How can the information be best organised to fit
the required structure?

13. Step 5: Present
“How Do I Need to Present the Information?”
 Take heed of task requirements OR choose
most suitable method for purpose and
considering audience
 Prepare
 Present

14. Step 6: Evaluate
“What Did I Learn from This?”
 About the topic, but also about the process
 Assess personal strengths and weaknesses in
information seeking
 Set goals for future encounters!

15. Is This All?
 This is the start – a “broad brush”
overview
 Other associated skills and processes are
taught as we go through
eg Website evaluation when Locating
Skimming and Scanning when
Selecting

16. Where To…?
Fabulous site explaining the research process in detail and regarding study skills in
general:
http://www.studyvibe.com.au/iResearch/The-research-process.aspx
Online module regarding Information Literacy: http://www.webs.uidaho.edu/info_literacy/
“Kid-friendly”, colourful explanation of the process:
http://www.kyvl.org/docs/IntroductionToKYVLForKids.pdf
A similar model (The Big 6): http://nb.wsd.wednet.edu/big6/big6_resources.htm#overview

17. Image Sources
1.Kendo’s photostream: http://flic.kr/p/5f7xy4
The Great Wave off Kanagawa, by Hokusai, 1823-1829. Licensed under CC Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0
Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
2. Boston Public Library’s photostream:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/with/6197663215/#photo_6197663215
North Bennett [sic] Street School - interior, shop class (teacher in front of classroom) Licensed under CC Attribution-
NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
3. Ludwig Gatzke’s photostream. http://flickr.com/photos/stabilo-boss/ Licensed under CC Attribution-Non-
Commercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Germany