4. USE OF INFORMATION
How do you apply the information you selected to fulfill the needs of the assignment?
You have all the information you need; now, it is time to read, view, or listen to your sources, decide what is important for the task at hand, and extract the selected information.
4.1 Engage
• What information do the sources provide? |
4.2 Extract Relevant Information
• What specific information is worth applying to the task? |
How to complete step 4 successfully (or the "yes, you have to READ the sources" stage)
1. There is a different between skimming the text and reading it. Skimming—reading at a faster speed to get the gist of the text—is useful when you have a lot of sources to cover and just want to see if the material is of interest to your research. In order to identify the best information for your assignment, however, you have to read your sources carefully.
2. If you come across material that you cannot understand because the language is too difficult, technical, scientific, or specialized, consider looking for another source. You cannot use information that you do not understand.
3. When working with facts, look at at least two different sources to double check your information.
4. Sometimes, your research will make you rethink the focus of your assignment. Do not feel upset or frustrated; this happens very often. You can change your mind, and it is better to change your mind than try to insist on a thesis that cannot be backed up with evidence.
5. If you realize that all of the sources you collected in step 3 have little information to help you with your assignment, go back and do more research. Ask for help when you need it—ask classmates, teachers, and the librarian.
6. Make sure to keep track of every source you use. You will need to cite—give credit—to any information you borrowed from other people.
2. If you come across material that you cannot understand because the language is too difficult, technical, scientific, or specialized, consider looking for another source. You cannot use information that you do not understand.
3. When working with facts, look at at least two different sources to double check your information.
4. Sometimes, your research will make you rethink the focus of your assignment. Do not feel upset or frustrated; this happens very often. You can change your mind, and it is better to change your mind than try to insist on a thesis that cannot be backed up with evidence.
5. If you realize that all of the sources you collected in step 3 have little information to help you with your assignment, go back and do more research. Ask for help when you need it—ask classmates, teachers, and the librarian.
6. Make sure to keep track of every source you use. You will need to cite—give credit—to any information you borrowed from other people.
Helpful Links to Complete Step 4
Graphic Organizer Resources
Explanation and examples of a variety of graphic organizers Graphic Organizer Index Write Design On-Line |
Cyberbee Interactive
Cute interactive tutorial about copyright issues Creating Source Cards Tutorial on how to create source cards for each one of your sources. |