This document discusses information fluency and the research process. It outlines a 6 step research process: connect, wonder, investigate, construct, express, and reflect. Each step is defined. It then provides guidance on resources for investigating a topic, including general and specialized encyclopedias, almanacs, online resources, primary documents, secondary sources, and specific sources like the Occupational Outlook Handbook and The Futures Channel. It concludes by mentioning tools for writing a bibliography.

1. Research Success in the 21st
Century
Ms. Leora Senior
Teacher Librarian

2. Our Goal: Information Fluency
“Information fluency involves learning an
unconscious process, allows information
seekers to ask good questions, access a wide
range of resources, analyze and authenticate
data and turn it into knowledge, then apply
that knowledge within the context of real-
time, real-life experience. (Tarica, 2006, p. 2)”
Tarica, E. (2006). Schools failing dotcom kids. The age. Retrieved by Alanna Graboyes on
July 29, 2006, from http://www.theage.com. au/news/education-news/schoolsfailing-
dotcom-kids/2006/07/01/115 1174437537.html

3. We begin the process of becoming
information fluent by learning and executing
the steps of the research process.

4.  What do I already know or think I
know about this topic?
What interests me about this
topic or idea?
Step 1: CONNECT

5. Step 2: WONDER
What questions do I
have about this topic or
idea?
What do I think I will
find?

6. Step 3: INVESTIGATE
Where will I find the information I need?
What resources would give me the best
information?
How do I know if the information I find is good
information?

7. Step 4: CONSTRUCT
What is the main idea of the
information I have found?
Have I found enough
information to answer my
questions?

8. Step 5: EXPRESS
What kind of technology should
I use to show people what I have
learned?
How do I want to present what
I’ve learned?

9. Step 6: REFLECT
 How did my project go?
Did I cover my topic
thoroughly?
 What will I do differently
next time?

10. The Media Center’s Reference Section is a great
place to start your Investigation…

11. 1. General Encyclopedia
• Provides a basic summary of your topic. This
increases your background knowledge on your
topic.
• Remember to use the guide words at the top of
each page to lead you through the alphabetical
listing of topics.

12. 2. Almanac
• Topics covered include stats
from sporting events, science
and technology innovations,
quick facts and infographics on
just about everything.
• Use the general index to easily
locate the page number of your
broad topic.

13. 3. Specialized Encyclopedia
Specialized encyclopedias allow
you to dig deeper into your topic
with subject specific volumes.
They cover everything from
animals to women’s history.
CMS has several multivolume
sets. Some are in alphabetical
order and some are not, but
each one has an index included
for easily locating information.

14. 4. Online Resources
Destiny has links on its home page
to some of the most acccurate
information available. Through
WebPath Express you can access
the world wide web and go straight
to relevant sites without sifting
through unnecessary hits. There is
also a collection of databases called
GALILEO. You can find journal
articles, magazines, newspapers,
and even dissertations.

15. Primary Documents
• Primary documents are journal entries,
letters, official documents from the time
period you are researching.
• They could also be photographs, artifacts,
interviews and recordings.
• You will find access to many of histories
most important artifacts at www.loc.gov

16. Secondary Sources
Remember: When using these types of
sources, there will be an author for the
individual articles in each of them. Cite!

17. Occupational Outlook Handbook
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-
engineering/home.htm

18. The Futures Channel
http://thefutureschannel.com/videogallery/proj
ect-engineer/

19. Writing your Bibliography
www.Citationmachine.net
www.galileo.usg.edu