Big6 Research Paper Organizer

Fill out Big6 #1-5 before you begin to take notes and write your paper.

Fill out Big6 #6 before you turn in your assignment.

You will need to print or download this form before exiting the page.

Name:
Today's date:	Class:

Pre-Search Strategies

If you don't have an idea for a topic or if your teacher did not assign a specific topic for your paper, consider the following suggestions:

Think about what is interesting to you and see if you can connect that interest to the requirements of the paper. For example, if the teacher has assigned a broad topic such as "Change over time in U.S. History" and you are passionate about Corvettes, consider connecting the topics in this way: "How has the design of automobiles over time influenced the way Americans buy and use their cars?"
Here is another example for a student who loves photography: "How has photography and its advances changed the definition of what it means to be an American?"
Use the online reference databases in which the school has subscriptions (see your librarian for help accessing these).
Talk to your parents, teachers and friends about good topics

Big6 #1 Task Definition
Determine a purpose and need for information
In order for your paper to be more than a rewrite of the facts you find about your topic in print and in online sources, or a summary of someone else's ideas, you need to develop an essential question for inquiry. If written correctly and thoughtfully, the essential question will ensure that you critically and creatively process the information you find.
Write your essential question here. You should have already had a draft of it approved by your teacher.

What questions should you ask to support your essential question?
You will find information on what types of supporting questions to ask to support your essential question in the document "Did you ask a good question today?"
You should consider writing supporting questions from each of the four categories: Memory, Convergent, Divergent, and Evaluative. There is a worksheet you can print out to help you form your questions.
List below the questions that you feel you need to answer at this time. You will most likely find interesting additional information as you use print and online resources.
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Big6 #2 Information Seeking Strategies
Examine the approaches you can use to acquire information. List the best sources to find this information. Remember COWS and don't forget human sources as appropriate.
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If using web sites, who will evaluate them for relevancy, accuracy, and authority?
	I will use only the school's online databases and those web sites evaluated by and provided by my teachers or librarian (Webliographies).
	I will find free web sites and use a web site evaluation guide for each that I use in my project
If you need help with this (or any) step of the process, please see your teacher or librarian!

Big6 #3 Location & Access
Locate resources and access the information —Where will I locate these sources?
	school library (Including online resources and Webliographies)
	public library
	personal library
	provided by my teachers or librarian
	Internet
	other:

For my research I will likely use these key words.

Big6 #4 Use of Information
Use resources to gain information—How will I record the information that I find?
	take notes using cards or electronic note cards
	take notes on notebook paper
	take notes using a word processor (Microsoft Word form)
	take notes using a data chart or other graphic organizer
	illustrate concepts
	use a tape recorder, video, or digital camera
	other:

How will I give credit to my sources?
	use the Writer's Guide to MLA Documentation, Landmark Citation Machine , the Gale Toolbox, or Help with Citing Sources (Internet)web site for citing Internet resources
	use the Writer's Guide to MLA Documentation for citing other resources
	use footnotes (see Writer's Guide) for help on using footnotes

Big6 #5 Synthesis
Integrate information from a variety of sources—How will I show my results?
	written paper
	oral presentation
	multimedia presentation
	performance
	other:

How will I give credit to my sources in my final paper?
	include a written "Works Cited" (Bibliography)

Timeline for assignment
Idea for topic (task definition) completed by:
Information searching (note taking) completed by:
First draft due:
Completed paper due:
Include here any additional information needed to successfully complete the paper:

Big6 #6 Evaluation
Before turning in my assignment, I need to check off all of these items (on the printed Organizer, which needs to be turned in with my paper):
	my final paper is a thoughful presentation of my essential question (Big6 #1--Task Definition)and represents my ideas and conclusions
	I have not represented others' ideas as my own and I am in compliance of copyright laws and fair use guidelines
	credit is given to my sources, written in MLA format
	my work is word processed, is neat, correctly edited, and evaluated.
	my work is complete and includes a Title page and Works Cited (Bibliography)
	I would be proud for anyone to read this paper

Big6™ copyright 1990, Michael Eisenberg and Robert Berkowitz.
Big6™ Assignment Organizer copyright 1999, Barbara A. Jansen.
Links used with permission.
Modified by Marina High School with permission 01/25/2005.