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CIS Secondary Library: Research, Y7-Y9

CIS Secondary Library: Making the Virtual Visible

The Big6™ Skills are six stages of the research process. You should consider these steps as you plan your research. Sometimes you will need all of them, at other times you may only need two or three. Use these steps as your guide. 

 

1. Task Definition

   1.1 Define the information problem

   1.2 Identify information needed

2. Information Seeking Strategies

   2.1 Determine all possible sources

   2.2 Select the best sources

3. Location and Access

   3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and physically)

   3.2 Find information within sources

4. Use of Information

   4.1 Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch)

   4.2 Extract relevant information

5. Synthesis

   5.1 Organize from multiple sources

   5.2 Present the information

6. Evaluation

   6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness)

   6.2 Judge the process (efficiency)

QuickRef

Sample Web Resources

It's Time to S.I.F.T.

In your work group, use the SIFT strategy to quickly determine if the sources below are something you would consider worth using for research on Animal Trafficking. Choose any three of the sources; this should take less than 5 minutes for each source.

STOP

 Do you know and trust the website or source of the information?

INVESTIGATE

 Where is the source from? Is it worth your time? Does it accomplish your goals?

FIND

 Is the source showing something that is true or false? Find other resources that confirm one way or the other.

TRACE

 Follow the source back to its origins. Is the version you saw accurately presented? Is it the original source on the subject?