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Research Tips
Evaluating Websites
You've been given a research assignment by your teacher.
You type your topic into Google.
45,000,000,000 results in 0.48 seconds.
Sweet!
This will be easy... won't it?
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How do you avoid getting sucked into the 'GoogleVortex'?
Too much information?
Incorrect information?
Fake News?
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The CRAAP Detection Test was created by librarians at California State University to encourage students to question the quality of research sources.
Take the CRAAP Test
Planning Your Assignment
If you're planning a research project, the diagram at the right provides a good insight into the inquiry process. Start at the top of the diagram with Planning and work clockwise through each step.
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Once you've begun, keep thinking about the next step of your project. How will you present it? How will your teacher evaluate it?
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You may have to step back to a previous step along your journey as your inquiry focus changes.
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Don't forget to keep track of your sources. In senior grades, each department uses a different format. Socials uses Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition, English uses Modern Languages Association (MLA) 8th Edition, and Science uses American Psychological Association (APA) 7th Edition. In junior grades, your teacher will direct you to which citation style to use.
Alberta Inquiry Model
The Inquiry Approach
An inquiry approach to a project will guide you in formulating higher level questions--those "Level 3 questions" your teachers are always talking about. Rather than a question that can be answered with "yes" or "no," consider an open-ended question that can allow you to dig into deeper research.
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The inquiry approach will allow you to...
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investigate widely
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create new knowledge
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use this knowledge to...
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Answer a question
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Develop a solution
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Support a position or a point of view
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