School research is a training ground for real life.
Information literacy skills are skills you will need through your life. We are always seeking information. What car or stereo should I buy? Which college should I choose? Which book should I read next? How can I sell this idea to my boss? How can I convince the school board to act on my proposal? Information helps us reach conclusions, make our choices, and communicate more effectively. But the good stuff is often buried in heaps of junk. We need to continue to improve our searching, evaluating and communication skills in a changing information environment.
Remember computer literacy is not information literacy. For a comparison, read this article.
This summary is loosely based on a model for information skills called the Big6 by Michael Eisenberg and Robert Berkowitz. Please take time to visit the Big6 Website.
So, how should I approach research as an information literate student?
1. Defining your problem and asking the good questions
What is my thesis or problem?
What information do I need?
What do I already know?
What more do I need to find out?
2. Information seeking strategies?
Where can I find the information I need? Which are the best possible sources? Which databases are the best choices?
Which types of sources will best help me solve my information problem? Which sources do I already have?
Do I need help to find the resources or to make sure I haven't overlooked any critical sources?
3. Selecting and evaluating your resources
How can I search these sources effectively?
After reading, can I identify better keywords or subject headings to refine my electronic search?
Do the resources I found really answer my questions or offer evidence to support my thesis?
Have I carefully examined my selected sources for significant details and concepts?
Have I examined my sources for currency, relevance, accuracy, credibility, appropriateness and and bias?
Can I defend all of the resources I am considering for inclusion in my works consulted page?
Does the scope, depth and quality of my research meet my teacher's and my own expectations?
How will I credit my sources?
4. Organizing and restructuring information
How much of the information I collected is truly relevant?
Do I see any patterns emerging in the information I collected?
How can I organize this information so that it makes sense to myself and others? Do I have a strategy for notetaking?
Can I construct a visual tool or written outline to help me structure my work?
Have I solved my information problem and answered the related questions?
Do I have enough information?
5. Communicating the results of your research
Who is my audience?
How can I most effectively share this information with this audience?
Which would be the best format for communicating the results of my information? PowerPoint? video? essay? debate? speech? traditional paper?
What do I need to do this presentation? Equipment? Software?
Have I included everything I want to share?
Have I proofread, edited and truly finished my project?
6. Evaluating your work
The product:
Am I proud of the product? Was it effective?
Did I meet the guidelines or follow the rubric for the project?
Am I sure I did not plagiarize from any of my sources?
Is the best work I could have done?
The process:
Did I explore the full scope of available resources and select the best?
Did I approach the research process energetically?
Did I search electronic resources (the Web and licensed databases) using effective, efficient, strategic search strategies?
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