Getting Started with Research

Summer CTAP6  “Historical thinking is to get students and teachers to think about cause and effect relationships. Historical thinking is a belief that events create a cultural push and collective conscience about who, where, how we approach problems. How our society deals with problem, new ideas, etc.” By Dr. Bob Bainbridge

Summer CTAP6 Thinking Paterns  Students will remember how to think even if they don't remember the discrete facts.  Linking perspective and time periods with questioning strategies  China life is a circle  Spanish hit skip back  American English linear thinking

Summer CTAP6 Understanding  Historical Understanding has as an underlying concept that history is seen through the eye of the reader and this colors everything.  Implicit is an understanding of chronology. Yet, history is not just a timeline but a modeling force on the present. It is a tool we can use to better understand ourselves.  Often history has been thought to be used to avoid mistakes of the past. In reality at best it is a guide through the minefield of our present life used to predict how groups or individuals will react in certain circumstances.

Summer CTAP6 Students Needs  Primary source documents are often not at their reading level.  Making connections to the present is difficult.  Think we are modern man and by definition new is always better.  Startled by inventiveness of past cultures to deal with problems but don’t see the applicability of the process to modern times.  They need to push past the facts. Scaffolding and leading questions help them to think and make connections from events.  Lead students to ask questions that probe what is known.

Summer CTAP6 #1 Begin With Question or Area of Interest  Brainstorm or Map what you know.  Brainstorm what you want to find out.  List resources and keywords. Then, start with the most generalized source of information:  Classroom Text, Library books  CD-ROM’s, and or Encyclopedias  Magazine's and or News Papers  Assigned Internet resources, then use search engines

Summer CTAP6 # 2 Choose Resources and Take Notes  Sort through available resources to find out which ones best suit their research needs:  Record Works and cite information (Note Cards)  Take notes and assess the validity for this information  Does information conform with other resources?  Does the document’s internal validity remain consistent?  Begin an outline and keyword list with information from generalized resources  Outline programs such as Word or Inspiration are easily altered to include new and more specific information as the project goes along.  Note cards work almost as well as software

Summer CTAP6 # 3 Analyze, Structure and Write  A detailed rubric of how the project will be graded includes:  What a student needs in quality and depth to successfully finish a research project.  Rubric should include descriptors that delineate superior, good, fair, and poor work. A student should be able to grade their own paper or presentation.  The project description should include due dates for each phase of the project.  Use Notes, Outline, and Rubric to structure their final presentation of research information.