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Hello, everybody: thanks to all who answered my query. I didn't get as many answers as I did requests for a HIT; maybe others will respond after reading these. Also, Deborah Stanley responded - I have posted her response at the beginning ******************* Your email about the BIG6 was forwarded to me by another LMT in my district. What a great question! In my conference and workshop presentations, I have occasionally made reference to the fact that The Research Process blends nicely with the BIG6 by providing the skills and strategies for "How" to do the BIG6 steps, not just "What" to do. I did not learn about BIG6 until several years after I had created The Research Process in response to a Fresno Pacific LMT course of study. When I did encounter the BIG6, there were a few important differences. Eisenberg and Berkowitz always identifed their method as being a broad and general way to manage ANY type of information-gathering/decision-making situation, from going to the movies to writing a term paper. In documenting The Research Process, I observed what and how students were tackling ONLY library research situations, and came up with these intuitive steps for K-12 research for standards-based, content-area, collaborative units of study. After all, isn't that the main concern of library media teachers? You said it best yourself in your original email. (below) BIG6 has done a far-reaching job with newsletters and conferences of asking people in the field for training and sharing of implementation strategies. But for most of us, if we have to reinvent a way to apply something---we just don't have time! The Research Process, on the other hand, has a make-it/take-it, do-it-tomorrow approach, complete with overhead and handnout templates for each step of research. The other benefit is that each step can be minimized or maximized to meet the needs of individual students, teachers, and units of study. But each step is so logical and intuitive, no single step can be left out completely. It is really the "Cinderella" of research...you've probably been doing it all along! No one really owns what is a system of commonly shared ideas or methods. Must get back to my research class here in the library... Best of luck! Debby Stanley PS: I also have a CD out now with "canned" PowerPoint lessons for each step, $15.00 including tax and shipping. There is also a section on role definition and advocacy for LMTs. Just email me: <debdavest@aol.com> ************************** All of the research models essentially do similar things. And there are so many. The virtue of the Big Six is that it reminds students and teachers that research is a process, which requires forethought and planning, and that the location and activity step is only one of six. (Years ago, that was the only step taught-as "library skills"!] The California Model is recursive. The Kulthau model is reflective. The Flip It model is more traditional. Eisenberg touts the Big Six primarily because it *is* a problem solving model which can easily be transferred to "real life." I.E., when he teaches it, the examples he uses are real life examples-researching information to buy a car, a house, find a school, etc. It is all research, regardless of whether it is on a school topic or a life choice. I have seen it used effectively by second graders and it is also taught in college. My only problem with it is that since it is presented in a linear fashion, there is an implication that once one step is finished, that's it. We know otherwise-the more good information is found, and integrated with prior knowledge, the more one must return to the task definition and narrow, or enlarge the parameters, or the focus. And the more one learns, the more one needs to reflect upon the meaning(s) gleaned. I like working with Jamie MacKenzie's insights at this website: http://www.questioning.org/ (an off shoot from the From Now On website http://www.fno.org/ ) Bottom Line: I think whatever you use and feel comfortable with, incorporating insights from other resources, will give your students the best experience. **************************** I don't have any input on your title, "Practical Steps...," but another book I've bought and really like is "The Thoughtful Researcher: teaching the research process to middle school students" by Virgina Rankin, Libraries Unlimited Inc, 1999. This author is experienced, flexible, and has many good, concrete suggestions for dealing with reluctant teachers, middle school kids, etc. She also offers a variety of techniques. Thought you might be interested in another approach. **************************** I will try to get a copy of Stanley's book based on your recommendation. I'm also really pleased with two very inexpensive little books I bought last year through a phone solicitation: One is Bud's Research Paper Manual. There's a version for PCs and one for MACs. Each is $10.95. There's also How to Take Great Nows in Class, which uses the "Cornell method" and includes taking notes from books as well. It's $7.00. Little gems I think, especially for the price. The research manual assumes no previous experience, either with the research paper process or typing it on the computer. Everything is spelled out from how to get started to how to set up every page on the computer so it will look professional. (Do you remember struggling to do footnotes at the bottom of every page using a regular typewriter? I do.) I also like that the Bud's book includes documentation formats other formats besides just MLA. ****************** Last year, at the request of our GT department, we chose IIM (Independent Investigation Model) as the research model for our district. The authors recently presented a workshop at AASL. If you go to our district library website (http://198.170.183.252/ccweb/instruction/library/index.htm ), you will find a link to "Research Model-IIM" on the left hand side of the page. I would like to read Stanley's book. It sounds very similar and could provide reinforcement for IIM. IIM stresses research without copying (i.e. plagiarism) and also focuses on summarization and the use of note cards. Summarization is a TAAS emphasis on our campuses this year. ******************** I haven't read this book. But, you mentioned note cards. I always taught my students to use them for their sake and for mine. I will describe my method, which may be a tip, useful, or old news to you. Whatever. 3x5 cards or the smaller size - I prefer the smaller for this. on the lined side the student writes the facts, quotes, notes gathered from the source. on the back side the student writes his name/period and page numbers of that info on the back side the student also writes the additional required biblio info for those notes on that card, along with a number assigned to that source followed by a letter. if info/notes from the same source continue onto more cards, then all the student has to write on the back is his name/period, page numbers used, and the number/letter key. so, he might have note cards 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d from the same source. note cards 2a, 2b, 2c etc. from a second source and so forth. at the end of each 1-2 days of research, I collected the cards to check. All I had to do was place a check mark or initials on the back of each card very quickly. checking frequently like this keeps the kid on task during the class period, helps alleviate that do it at the last minute attitude, and gives the teacher a quick/easy way to check that notes and biblio info are being kept the teacher's initial keeps the kid from submitting the same cards for a check over and over; and after 2-4 quick checks like this, the teacher has a handy daily grade using the note cards also helps alleviate the kids trying to copy/regurgitate every word they find; or making photocopies of pages from books they can plagiarize wholesale at home; and helps a kid get a correct, direct quote that may be needed on a card. once the kid starts to organize, he can shuffle the cards around, spread them out into some kind of visual order without having to worry about where the info came from, as he has the number/letter system on the back of each for maintaining an accurate biblio. the same card system can also be used with Internet info, helping to cut down on needless printing and some of the plagiarism. the plagiarism can still continue, but at least, now the kid will have to do some more thinking/reading to jot down the notes on those little cards; and the teacher who has required those notecards to be submitted with the completed project has something concrete to look thru when in doubt. If a lot shows up in the project that was not in the notecards, then plagiarism or help from another source obviously occurred. my primary purpose was to keep the kid on task and to have a quick way to check. The by-product for the kid is an organized way to gather notes for research. Just my 2 cents worth. *********************** Isn't it amazing how everyone after Middle School expects that we have been taught how to write a research paper, while middle and elementary school teachers think writing a research paper is too hard a task? It sounds as though "Practical Steps" teaches what another speaker, I heard at a Connecticut Information Power Workshop called the "craft skills" while the "Big 6" focuses more broadly on the information process. One hint for the note-taking part of the process that I got from another in-service that may or may not be discussed in "Practical Steps," has to do with the average kids tendency to copy from a source almost word for word and then think that because the changed a few words here and there it was "in their own words." The suggestion rather than using note cards used two column sheets of paper, but you certainly could use note cards. First have the kids copy the source word for word on a card with the proper citation. Then have them re-write a "summary" of the information in their words with the same citation on another card. The cards are clearly labeled so that the pairs stay together. The kids will learn that there are times when they will use really different words to explain the concept but there are sometimes when they truly can't come up with better words. Then it becomes easy to determine when to use the direct quote or simply a footnote (endnote) to cite the source in the paper. Just one of the many skills kid's won't learn if we don't teach them. *********************** Please post a hit! I'm interested to know how Deborah Stanley's process fits into the models comparison chart at http://www.big6.com/comparison_chart.gif ?? thanks ******************** I would like to see a HIT with your replies. I have just ordered the Practical Steps....for the High School level. I, too, have incorporated Big6 in my info. literacy instruction, so I am curious to see what others have done. ********************* Yes, I'd be interested in a HIT. I looked for something on the web about "Steps" but had limited luck. Perhaps you know of a better site than the one below, but, if not, you might want to look at.... http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Reed_MS/Library/research/generaloverview.pdf ********************** I have read another book recently that also has good ideas and methods called the Thoughtful Researcher for teaching the research process to middle schoolers. That author (Virginia Rankin)has her oun process. I don't think one needs to use the Big Six, which I personally don't like the terminology, but rather develop the process that works for you and your students as long as it is consistent in your school. ********************** Carol Valdez, Librarian Salvador Garcia Middle School 499 Pena Dr. Laredo, TX 78046 956.724.4113 fax: 956.724.6566 cvaldez@united.isd.tenet.edu http://www.united.isd.tenet.edu/middle/sgm/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-= All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law. 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