Expert Researcher

Initiating inquiry

Here are some resources that you can use to help start your research project:

• Understanding the Assignment: A Purdue OWL Resource
• Time Management for Secondary School Students
• Rate Yourself as a Researcher Worksheet

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Do I understand the purpose for my research?
• Do I know the steps I have to take?
• What is my product?
• Who is my audience?
• When is my assignment due?
• How will it be assessed?
• Have I prepared a portfolio to organize my project?

Choosing the topic

Here are some resources you can use to help select a topic for your research assignments:

• Modified KWL Chart
• Understanding the Assignment Worksheet
• Learning Log Worksheet

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Do I have an overview of my project by exploring a variety of resources?
• Have I brainstormed possible ideas for my topic to help me develop a focus?
• Is my idea manageable and meaningful to me?
• What do I already know about the topic?
• What do I want to know about the topic?
• Where do I look for information?
• Have I shared my ideas with others?

Developing questions

Check out our Brainstorming Research Questions to help you begin your research.

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Have I created thoughtful research questions to guide my research?
• Have I made a list of possible keywords for searches?
• Does my research have a specific focus? Can you clearly state the focus?

Designing the plan

Here are some tools and resources that you can use to develop a research plan:

• Greater Essex County District School Board Virtual Library
• Purdue Online Research
• Destiny Library Commons Catalogue

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Do I understand that I need to examine a variety of resources?
• Do I know that different resources have difference purposes?
• Have I explored the Virtual Library?
• Have I explored Destiny?
• Do I know effective search techniques to get the best results?
• Do I understand why and how to use directories, search engines and metasearch engines?

Selecting information

Here are some resources you can use to help you select quality resources:

• Reading Efficiently: Skimming and Scanning
• Tips for Questioning the Text
• Primary and Secondary Sources

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Do I understand that I begin with general resources and move to specific resources?
• Did I skim and scan to help select my resources?
• Did I use primary and/or secondary sources to answer my research questions?
• Did I find the best resources for my inquiry questions?

Formulating a focus

Here are some resources that you can use to help you track your resources and citation details throughout the research process:

• APA Citation Tracking Sheet
• MLA Citation Tracking Sheet

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Have I started to create my list of resources?
• Have I included citation details?
• Have I saved or printed lists, articles, abstracts of the most appropriate resources?
• Have I shared what I have found with peers, teachers or librarians?
• Did I explore resource options suggested by them?
• Have I conferenced with my teacher or librarian to explain my choice of research?

Analyzing information

Here are some resources you can use to help analyze the information you collected in your research:

• Tips for Identifying Bias
• Tips for Evaluating Images
• Tips for Organizing Your Notes
• Plagiarism Tutorial

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Have I evaluated my resource for relevance, accuracy, bias, currency and authority?
• Have I taken good point form notes?
• Have I included different viewpoints?
• Have I included my own thoughts, ideas and questions?
• Have I practiced academic honesty?
• Have I found the answers to all of my questions?
• Are my questions still valid? Do they need to change?
• Have I shared my ideas with others?

Evaluating ideas

A great way to evaluate your research ideas, is through working with your classmates and peers. You can use this Small Group Discussion Worksheet to test your ideas through conversations with your peers.

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Have I found the answers to all my questions?
• Does my information relate to my topic and focus?
• Are my questions still valid? Do I need to adjust my questions, focus or plan?
• Have I shared my ideas with others?

Organizing and synthesizing findings

Here are some digital tools that you can use to help organize your research notes:

• Evernote
• Zoho Online Notebook
• Graphic Organizers Research
• Tips for Essay Planning and Writing

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Have I used graphic organizers and subtopics to classify, sort and organize my information?
• Have I used the organizers to look for patters and relationships?
• Do I need to use spreadsheets, charts and databases to organize and analyse my information?
• Did I find relationships, trends or patterns in the information I found?
• Can I make a generalization?
• Have I formed my own opinion based on information?
• Have I formulated an arguable thesis?
• Can I justify with convincing arguments?
• Have I developed an outline to organize my work?

Making and presenting a product

Here are some resources and tips that you can use to help make your final presentation or assignment:

• APA Style Guide
• MLA Style Guide
• Tips for Presenting Your Ideas

You can use the following resources to access copyright free images:

• Flickr: Creative Commons
• Pics for Learning
• Free Clipart for Kids, Teachers, Parents

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• Have I developed a draft that is in an appropriate format?
• Have I cited my sources within my text using parenthetical citations (APA or MLA)?
• Have I documented my sources at the end of my work APA or MLA?
• Have I identified my sources at the end of my work?
• Have I identified my audience?
• Have I proofread my draft and made the necessary revisions?
• Have I met all the project requirements?
• Am I organized for the format required (i.e., oral, written or multimedia presentation)?
• Do I need charts, graphs and/or other visual aids?
• Do I need presentation software?
• Do I need equipment?
• Have I incorporated good production and presentation skills?
• Have I practiced, received feedback and revised my presentation based on the feedback?

Assessing product and process

Check out this resource for tips on how to evaluate your work.

Questions to ask

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• What new skills and knowledge have I learned?
• What did I do well?
• What would I change next time?
• How did the research process help me with this project?
• How could I improve the next time?
• How will this new learning make a difference to me or to others?

Expanding and transferring learning

During this stage of research, you should ask and answer the following questions:

• How can I apply my new skills and knowledge to other subjects?
• How can I apply my new skills and knowledge to my personal decisions and career choices?
• What action could I take from this research?
• Can I share my findings with other audiences in other ways?