Information Seeking Skills across Different Media
Subject: History/Social Studies
Grade: 6 – 12
Timeframe: 1 class (45 minutes)
Introduction:
When students conduct research, they usually refer to the same source types to gather information: print books, online news articles, journal databases, etc. However, it is important for students to be literate in a variety of different texts and media, especially in the technical fields. This exercise forces students to use many different media to seek information when given a single research question.
Objective:
- Read and understand a variety of different media
- Pick out main ideas and synthesize information from a variety of different media
- Use the information from a variety of different media to answer a single research question
Materials:
- Several sources of different types on the same topic
- Note taking tool (we recommend EasyBib’s Notebook)
Procedure:
- Present a single research question to the class. As a class, dissect the question, identifying keywords, conditions, and the purpose of the question. Define any difficult terms so that everyone in the class fully understands what the question is asking. Then, discuss as a class what kind of information the students might be looking for in order to answer the proposed question.
- Have students work independently or in small groups. Each student/group will be given a packet of information on the research question, but of all different media types. Examples of different media types may include, but are not limited to:
- Web page
- Excerpt from a printed book
- Clip from a film
- Newspaper clipping
- Cartoon/artwork
- Chart/diagram/report
- Radio clip
- Journal article
- Etc.
- Each student/group will analyze each source and take notes on it using their note taking device. Students should identify key points, paraphrase the information in their own words, and collect details that are relevant to the research question.
- Have the students organize their information graphically in the format they choose to present to the class their findings on the research question. In their presentation, they should clearly state their answer to the question, and then use the evidence from all the different sources to support their decision. Examples of presentations may be: a pro/con list, a chart, a Venn diagram, an idea web, etc.
Assessment:
Assess students on how logically sound their presentation is. Are their arguments well supported by evidence drawn from the sources given? How persuasive is their argument based on the quality and quantity of evidence? Was there evidence that could have been extracted from the sources given that the students did not use?
Self-Evaluation:
At the end of this assignment, students should have achieved the objectives outlined at the beginning of the lesson plan. They should have attempted to use all the sources, even those media types they are less familiar with, to support their arguments and answer the single research question. Based on this exercise, students should be more exposed to different media types and understand that sources other than online articles and books can be used to answer research questions.
Extension:
Teachers can extend the research process by using this method to introduce students to a new paper topic. After their research is conducted, they can continue the process by writing a paper based on the information that is given.
Furthermore, teachers can apply the same idea of “source requirements” to research papers. By requiring that students seek out different types of media when conducting research it also teaches students how to find different media as well as analyze them to gather information.
Additional Resources:
For online articles
For videos
Political cartoons
