Topic:

Date Due:

Getting Ready

Describe your topic. A good way to determine this is to brainstorm in your group. One person is designated the recorder. All ideas are valid and not open to question or evaluation at this point.

What do you know about your topic? Once more, brainstorming in your group is a good way to determine this. One person is designated the recorder. All ideas are valid and not open to question or evaluation at this point.

List some questions about your topic that you cannot answer at this time. Underline the key words (the most important words in the question) to guide your research.

Key words:

List some sources you could use to obtain your information.

How are you going to contact these sources? Who in your group is going to do it?

Be sure to keep a list of all sources used, print and nonprint. Print media should be listed in bibliographical format. Nonprint material used could be listed as "Other Resources".

Research

Now you must consider the method you will use to organize the material you have agreed to collect.

One method to use is to record the questions you want answered on file cards. Answers can be recorded on the same card, along with source information. New questions can be added, of course, as new information is discovered.

Because each question is on a file card, an outline of your research report can be formed by moving the file cards to the positions you would like in order to organize the topic. New questions can be added or old ones deleted. Information from several sources on the same point is easily visible.

If you choose, you can create a written outline using the traditional format with main headings and subheadings. This will be much easier to do if you use the file card approach initially.

Another method is to use a notetaking page to record points about each question. The question is the subtopic. Include bibliographical information on this sheet as well.

List the sources you investigated. Bring the information you found to a group meeting.

As a group, review the questions you initially wanted to answer. It is possible that you have found that some of these questions are not valid. Probably, new questions have surfaced.

Redefine the questions you want to answer.

Presentation

Presentation of the information you have found is very important. It must be informative, interesting and involve your whole group. Consider the fact that audience participation can be used. It is also possible to use more than one method of presentation.

As a group, determine what method of presentation you will use. Who will be responsible for which part of the presentation?

Completion date:

Evaluation

Research Notes

Topic

Subtopic:

Author

Publisher

Title

Copyright

Type of Publication

Notes:

Author

Publisher

Title

Copyright

Type of Publication

Pages

Notes: