Research How to Focus and Answer Your Researchable Question

Answering Researchable QuestionsPalmer High SchoolLibrary Media CenterMr. Vankirk

Framing ResearchFraming ResearchCan you state your topic as an answerable question?OR

Can you make a statement to agree or disagree with?Framing ResearchExamples:Do cell phones contribute to improved classroom learning and engagement in high school students?

What role did mass media play in the outcome of American involvement in the Vietnam War?Opinion Pieces v. Research PapersOpinionsEditorials, Blogs, JournalsResearchAcademic papers/PresentationsBased upon DataObservationExpert testimonyAcademic DatabasesDatabase: a collection of information that is organized and searchable on a computer.What is available to you?Ebsco History Reference CenterGo to http://palmer.d11.orgClick on Library Media CenterHistory Reference CenterBrowse for Topics OR Enter Key WordsKeyword SearchingExamples:Do cell phones contribute to improved classroom learning engagement in high school students?Words in question: Cell phone, learning, engagement, classroomWords associated (not in question):Distraction, resources, personal device, texting

What role did mass media play in the outcome of American involvement in the Vietnam War?Article SelectionRead AbstractSummary of the contents of an articleBrowse and Skim for KeywordsNo dice, move on!

Critical ReadingSPECIFICALLY, what does my source say to answer the researchable question?DataStatisticQuoteSummaryYou can either quote the source or summarize the authors words.ExampleGrahm, Greg. "Cell Phones in Classrooms? No! Students Need to Pay Attention." PBS.

ExcerptA growing amount of research by neurologists confirms what our mommas already told us we think best and perform best through focused, undistracted attention. In 2009, Stanford researchers studied the cognitive capabilities of media multitaskers and came to the following conclusion: People who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information do not pay attention, control their memory or switch form one job to another as well as those who prefer to complete one task at a time.ExcerptA growing amount of research by neurologists confirms what our mommas already told us we think best and perform best through focused, undistracted attention. In 2009, Stanford researchers studied the cognitive capabilities of media multitaskers and came to the following conclusion: People who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information do not pay attention, control their memory or switch form one job to another as well as those who prefer to complete one task at a time.Keeping OrganizedGraphic Organizers help to keep you on track. See Simple Research Graphic Organizer

Link to Graphic Organizer

Sample

Sample

CompilationIf you do a Graphic Organizer for each source, your paper/presentation is almost already written!

Intro Answer your researchable questionBody slides/paragraphs one for each graphic organizerConclusion!

That was easy!

that was easy2115.9177