Working Through the Research Process

1. FOCUS:

• ​​What is my research challenge? Purpose?
• What are the critical questions?
• ​Define the topic statement.
• Who is my audience?
  
• What do I know? What do I need to know?

• What will my product be?
• How will I plan my time?
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2. FIND AND FILTER:

• Locate different types of resources (all formats).
• Decide which resources might be suitable.
• Select the most appropriate resources.
• Do the resources answer your critical questions?
• Did you find information that points you in another direction?
• Revise research questions if necessary.

3. WORK WITH THE  INFORMATION:

• Read, review, listen.
• Interpret, record, organize.
• Collect Works Cited information and quotations
• Look for patterns. Make connections.
• Check for understanding.
• Review, revise, reorganize, and edit.

4. COMMUNICATE:

• Prepare final results.
• Prepare Works Cited list.
• Share ideas, findings, and product.
• Act on findings.
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5. REFLECT:

• What did we learn about the topic?
• How does this new knowledge fit in a wider context?
• What worked well?
• What would we do differently next time?
• What did we learn about research?

The above has been adapted from: Research Quest: A Student Guide developed by B.C.T.L.A. (British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association) and Teacher-Librarians in British Columbia. Adopted by the British Columbia Ministry of Education, January 2001.