6 Simple Steps to a Great Research Project

1. The Big 6 Research
Skills
6 Simple Steps to a Great Project!

2. The Big 6 Skills

3. Step One: Define
 Task definition means to be sure
about the job you have to do.
Define it.
 Ask these questions:
1. What do I have to do or find out?
a. Final product, topic, due date
2. What information do I need to start the
task (assignment)?
a. Key words, questions, citation information

4. Step Two: Info Seek
 Ask these questions:
1. What sources can I use? (Make a list.)
a. Encyclopedias (World Book Online)
b. Reference & Nonfiction books
c. Newspapers & magazines (GALILEO)
d. Internet (.com, .org, .edu, .gov)
2. Which sources are the best (and most possible)
for me to use?
3. Are the sources trustworthy and valid?

5. Step Three: Get
 Ask these questions:
1. Where do I go to find each of the sources I
want to use? (OCS Library, public library, online
databases, GALILEO)
2. How can I find what I need in these places?
(Destiny, public library catalog, search engines)
3. Who can help me find what I need?
4. How do I find the information I need within
the sources? (Index, Glossary, Table of Contents)

6. Step Three: Get
 References sources in the LMC:
Almanac
Atlas
Dictionary
Encyclopedia
Thesaurus

7. Finding Books in the LMC –
CALL NUMBERS
Reference
Non-Fiction
Biographies
Fiction

8. Finding Resources Online
 Oglethorpe LMC Website
 Destiny
 World Book Online
 GALILEO

9. Step Four: Use
 Ask these questions:
1. What information does the source give me?
2. Can I understand the information?
3. What information can I use?
4. How will I get the information out of the source?
5. Am I ready to start putting a draft of my project
together?
6. Does the information lead me to other sources
of information?

10. Step Five: Produce
1. Synthesis – Putting it all together
2. How can I put all of the information
together to present what I have learned?

11. Step Six: Evaluation
 Ask these questions:
1. Is this paper any good?
2. Is my task finished?
3. How did I do?
4. Is there a rubric to check my work against?

12. References
 http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/Big_Six_Steps.asp