The Big6 Approach
One well known approach to teaching information literacy skills is the Big6, which was created by educators Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz. Mike Eisenberg describes the Big6 as "an information and technology literacy model and curriculum, implemented in thousands of schools – K through higher education. Some people call the Big6 an information problem-solving strategy because with the Big6, students are able to handle any problem, assignment, decision or task".
Step 1: Task Definition1.1 Define the information problem
What does your teacher want you to do? Make sure you understand the requirements of the assignment. Ask your teacher to explain if the assignment seems vague or confusing. Restate the assignment in your own words and ask if you are correct.
1.2 Identify the information you need in order to complete the task (to solve the information problem)
What information do you need in order to do the assignment? Your teacher will often tell you what information you need. If he or she does not, it will help you to write a list of questions that you need to “look up.” Example: Let’s say the assignment is to write a paper and make a product about a notable African American. You choose Scott Joplin from the list that was provided by your teacher. She may or may not have told you why this person is notable. You need to figure out what information you need to find out about Scott Joplin. Here are some questions you may ask about him if you don’t know why he is notable:
If your teacher told you that Scott Joplin is most noted for developing ragtime music, then you may add the questions:
Of course, as you find information on Scott Joplin, you will use some that is not included in your original questions. Use these questions as a place to get started. You won’t waste as much time if you have a place to start.
The “Big6™” is copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For more information, visit: www.big6.com
It is a fact that teachers don't like it when you don't listen in class and then ask a million questions about the information they covered.
Teachers are ususally more than willing to help you, but you need to make sure you have read everything they have given you about the assignment before you ask for help.
All good research starts with a plan. Complete the Research Organizer to help get you off to a good start. List or summarize your research path. Provide as much information as possible such as search terms you will use and the specific sources you will explore and why. Remember to print your page BEFORE you exit the page or you will lose all your information.
Afterwards, continue on with The Information Cycle.
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Fill out Big6 #1-5 before you begin to work on your assignment. |
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| Fill out Big6 #6 before you turn in your assignment. | |
You will need to PRINT this form BEFORE exiting the page. |
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Step 2: Information Seeking Strategies2.1 Determine the range of possible sources (brainstorm)
This means that you need to make a list of all the possible sources of information that will help you answer the questions you wrote in Task Definition above. Consider library books, encyclopedias, and web sites to which your library subscribes (ask your librarian!), people who are experts in your subject, observation of your subject, free web sites and survey.
2.2 Evaluate the different possible sources to determine priorities (select the best sources)
Now, look carefully at your list. Which ones are actually available to you and are understandable when you begin researching? Using information that you don't understand generally leads to cutting and pasting and should be avoided unless you are willing to ask for help to sort it out.
The “Big6™” is copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For more information, visit: www.big6.com
Information Seeking Strategies is just a fancy way to describe how you look for information. For instance, when you get an assignment, do you Google the topic and then simply go to the website that is at the top of the list? Do you go to Wikipedia first? These are information seeking strategies.
Some tools you may want to consider are:
Book
Born Digital Photo or Image
Journal
Magazine
Newspaper
Pamphlet
Reference Source
Web Site
Work of Visual Art
OPAC/Database
Watch the video The Information Cycle from The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Libraries
Step 3: Location and Access3.3.1 Locate sources
Figure out where you will get these sources. Beside each source, write its location. If it is a web site, list its web address. Try to use those that your teacher or librarian have linked or bookmarked. This will save you time. If your source is a person, figure out how you will contact him or her and make a note of this. Now, you will actually get the sources. You may have to get and use them one at a time. If so, come back to this step to locate each source.
3.3.2 Find information within sources
Now that you have the source in hand, how will you physically get the information you need? (Remember the questions you wrote in Task Definition?) This all depends on the source.
A. First make a list of words that will help you find information in all of your sources. These are called keywords. They are like synonyms and related words to your topic.You can find many of these in the questions you wrote in Big6 Task Definition. Watch the video below to see how you would go about creating keywords.
B. Now make a list of the sourcess of information you will use. Beside each, note how you will access the information you need.
The “Big6™” is copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For more information, visit: www.big6.com
Location and access means how and where you are going to find the information you need.
If it is a book, do you own the book or will you have to go to the library to borrow it? If you found a website, once you are there, do you know how to look for the information or section on your topic? If our library doesn't have the book you need, do you know how to ask us to get it for you? When you are doing any or all of these things, you are completing Step 3 of the Big6.
Databases are sometimes called the "deep web" or "invisible web" because their information is usually only accessible through paid subscriptions using passwords and isn't usually found (indexed) by search engines such as Google.
Database records are organized using a variety of indexes such as author and subject but are keyword searchable as well.
Databases are either subject specific such as World History in Context or content specific such as the newspaper and magazine database through EBSCO.
Databases contain information that has been checked for the ABC's of authority & accuracy, bias, and content & currency. You can trust the information you find in databases, not like on the web or through Google searches. Sometimes it's accurate, but many times it isn't.
Step 4: Use of Information4.1 Engage with the source (read, listen, view, touch)
Most likely you will need to read, listen or view your source. You are looking for the information you need. You may not need to read, listen to, or view all of your source information. You may be able to skip around, finding subheadings and topic sentences (read the first sentences in each paragraph) that will take you to your information.
4.2 Take out the relevant information from a source
It’s time to take some notes.
The “Big6™” is copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For more information, visit: www.big6.com
Now that you have found your sources for your assignment, this is the step where you read, watch, listen, and absorb all your information. You will need to figure out a way to take notes and keep them organized. You also need to write down the sources you use so you won't be running around at the last minute trying to find "that big blue book with the picture on the front" in the library. Your teachers may want you to use NoodleBib to help you keep your sources, notecards, and paper organized so check it out.
Step 5: Synthesis5.1 Organize information from multiple sources
Decide how you will put together the notes you took and ideas that you will add. You may:
5.2 Present the information
If your teacher assigns the product:
Add value to the product by including your ideas along with the information you found in books, web sites, and other sources. Make sure that your final product or paper is more than just a summary of what you found in the other sources.
If you get to choose your final product:
The “Big6™” is copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For more information, visit: www.big6.com
This step is all about deciding what you are going to do with the information you found. Are you going to write a paper, make a Slide Show, make a video or poster? Some of this will depend upon your assignment and if the teacher wants a specific type of presentation. This is the time you need to think about what it is you are trying to say and the best way to get it across. The ability to clearly organize your ideas and present them is an important 21st Century Skill to develop.
6.1 Judge your product (how effective were you)
Before turning in your assignment, compare it to the requirements that your teacher gave you.
6.1 Judge your informaton problem-solving process (how efficient were you)
Think about the actions that you perform as you are working on this assignment. Did you learn some things that you can use again?
The “Big6™” is copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For more information, visit: www.big6.com
Did you ever turn in an assignment and thought you did a great job only to get it back with a disappointing grade? It has happened to most of us. You wonder where you went wrong.
In this section, evaluation means looking closely at the assignment you were given,the steps you took to find the information, and the actual writing or creation of the project BEFORE you turn it in.
This step in the Big6 will help you learn how to make sure the paper or project you turn in is the paper or project your teacher is looking for.
Need help with your paper? Ask your librarian!
Getting Started
AND, OR & NOT are all words that link concepts together to improve searches when using search engines such as Google or databases such as EbscoHost. These terms are associated with Irish mathematician George Boole, thus the term Boolean logic or Boolean searching.
Getting Started
Search engines search electronically whereas most search directories use human editors to exclude irrelevant sites and include beneficial ones. Wikis invite contributers to write and edit articles mostly without authoriship. Understanding the pluses and minuses of each of these search tools will help you to determine when they are appropriate to use for particular high school research assignments.
Explore information in the Search Engines, Search Directories, and Wiki boxes and read the following tips.
Tips For Using Search Engines:
Tips For Using Search Directories:
Tips for Using Wikis:
Always evaluate websites for information qualiy and reliability because anyone with a bit of knowledge about computers and the Internet can put information on the World Wide Web.
Academic research is different from personal research because academic research requires current, correct, and well-documented information written by institutions/people who are authorities on their subjects.
Sites should be unbiased UNLESS biased information is useful for a particular assignment.
The World Wide Web is a place of business, and sites that want to sell products or services have a different purpose from sites that exist to educate
Use these ABCs as a guide to critically evaluate information on the Web.
1. Authority
Who or what organization is publishing the content? Do they have the knowledge and expertise to publish information about this topic? This information is often found in the About Us or Contact section of a site.
2. Bias/Purpose
Is this a commercial site that is trying to sell a service or a product or a site that exists primarily to educate? Does the publishing group and/or author have a bias? Are there multiple points-of-view analyzed and expressed?
3. Content
Does the content fit the research question/assignment? Is the information correct? Read background information about your topic from a reputable source such as a textbook or database first.
4. Currency
Is there a publication or update date attached to the article or site? Look at the end of an entry or the bottom of a page.
The New Oxford American Dictionary describes bias as:
“prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.”
Sometimes it is easy to determine if a particular website is biased especially around a controversial issue, other times it can be extremely difficult to determine a site’s bias. It is especially difficult to determine bias when an author does not state their credentials when posting an article on a website or a blog or when reviewing a site that uses a name that doesn’t give away its purpose.
Here are some tips for determining bias:
1. Go to the About Us or Contact Us section of the website to find out who publishes the site and other information such as where the organization is located and its purpose or mission.
2. Go to the Resources or Links pages to see what other sites the site recommends viewing or what organizations the site promotes.
3. Google the author or organization to find out if the organization has been in the news
4. Ask a librarian or teacher to see if they know about a particular site or organization
Can You Solve This?
Defining Confirmation Bias:
Digital Culture Critic Abandons "Fake News on the Internet" Column:
The New Oxford American Dictionary describes bias as:
“prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.”
Sometimes it is easy to determine if a particular website is biased especially around a controversial issue, other times it can be extremely difficult to determine a site’s bias. It is especially difficult to determine bias when an author does not state their credentials when posting an article on a website or a blog or when reviewing a site that uses a name that doesn’t give away its purpose.
Here are some tips for determining bias:
1. Go to the About Us or Contact Us section of the website to find out who publishes the site and other information such as where the organization is located and its purpose or mission.
2. Go to the Resources or Links pages to see what other sites the site recommends viewing or what organizations the site promotes.
3. Google the author or organization to find out if the organization has been in the news4. Ask a librarian or teacher to see if they know about a particular site or organization.
Do you love to use Wikipedia for all your assignments? This site will tell you why it isn't a good source for your research projects.
This site gives you a very good explanation of Wikipedia, how it is created, and why it isn't a good source for your school projects. Wikipedia might be a good place to start when you don't know something, but it isn't a good place to end your research.
Primary Sources are things that give first-hand or direct information about the past. For the historian, primary sources are the 'nuts and bolts' of their trade, from which all secondary texts are produced. Primary materials include
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Using primary sources
A number of issues have to be considered when using primary sources:
The value of primary sources
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Did you know ?...
According to a national survey published in Education Week:
All these facts and more can be found at plagiarism.org
Citing the sources you use when writing any paper is all about giving credit where credit is due. Using the words and ideas of other people without giving them credit is plagiarism and is considered academic misconduct.
Learning to cite your sources isn't just about avoiding consequences, it's about developing adacemic integrity, a quality that will benefit you in every aspect of your education.
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Your citation is Your Source's Address - Did you know that your teachers will look at your citations to see if you used reliable sources? Sometimes they will even look up the sources you use to see if you really understand and incorporate the information from that article. When they do that, they will use your citation to find the article, website, or book you used. Your citation will lead them to your information source. |
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Your Bibliography is Your Paper's Resume - Did you know that your teachers will often look at your bibliography first to form an opinion about your paper? Did your information come from reliable sources? Is your information current and without bias or an agenda? OR, did your information come from user-generated sites like Wikipedia or Answers.com? Remember, if you are writing an academic paper, your bibliography should reflect that. |
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Annotated Bibliography - An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that includes a paragraph following each citation that summarizes or evaluates the source being cited. "Each annotation is generally three to seven sentences long. In some bibliographies, the annotation merely describes the content and scope of the source; in others, the annotation also evaluates the source’s reliability, currency, and relevance to a researcher’s purpose" (Glossary of Research Terms, n.d.). |
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1. Consult more than one source. You're much more likely to copy words if you only have one set of words to copy from. Look the answer up on three or four websites, or in several encyclopedias or reference books. Think about the different ways these sources express the same ideas. Does each one bring a new idea or approach? Which one do you find easiest to understand? If you're not able to understand it at all, keep looking for more helpful sources, or ask a teacher or parent for help. |
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2. Jot down a few ideas. Picking from all your sources, jot down some key words and ideas that have to do with the question you're trying to answer or the subject you're researching. Don't use complete sentences or phrases, just individual words or groups of no more than three words. You want just enough to jog your memory of what you learned and understood about the material. Names and dates and places are fine, but not opinions or fancy language. If you can't understand it, don't include it in your notes. |
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3. Close down your sources. Hide your browser window, or close your books. Get that original material out of your sight. You're on your own now, working from your notes and your brain. You may want to keep the sites or the pages marked if you need to refer to them for further clarification, but don't keep them open when you're writing, and NEVER cut and paste unless you're using NoodleBib. |
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4. Talk about what you have learned with a parent, advisor, friend or teacher. Using your notes and what you have learned from the original material, discuss the information you've found with an adult, including any opinions you may have formed for yourself. If you've really understood the material, you should be able to do this -- maybe not in as much detail or fancy words as the original, but in your own language and understanding. If you can't, or are still confused by the material, ask for help. Then close the material down again and start the writing process. |
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5. Write down what you've just said. When you have an understanding of the material you've read and have formulated ideas that sound right to you and sound original to the adult who's helping you, write it out on paper. You should have something that draws its facts from research material you've found, but filters it through your own thoughts and understanding and language abilities. Your teacher will be far happier with this than with a more knowledgeable passage you copied directly from somebody else. Your ideas, directly from you, are what's important. |
article adapted and used with permission ~ Terri Mauro @about.com
Academic Journal
A subject-specific publication published periodically and edited by experts in the journal subject area. Find journal articles by searching JSTOR or Gale (click on the Peer Reviewed box in the Advanced Search area).
Blog
A website where an author or group of authors write ongoing commentary, usually about a particular subject.
Databases
Databases are sometimes called the "deep web" or "invisible web" because their information is accessible via fee-based subscriptions using passwords and isn't usually indexed by search engines such as Google. Database records are organized using a variety of indexes such as author and subject but are keyword searchable as well. Databases are either subject specific such as World History in Context or content specific such as the newspaper and magazine database through iCONN.
Podcast
An audio broadcast usually aired on a regular schedule. You can subscribe to podcasts or download them onto portable audio devices. TED talks are great to listen to and offer information on a wide variety of subjects by topic experts.
Tweet
A very short blog entry (150 characters) using a website called Twitter. During protests in Iran Tweets were the only way news was getting out. Read this article in Time Magazine about Twitter and breaking news.
Wiki
A website where people can collaborate on a document or collection of information. One of the most visited sites on the Internet is Wikipedia.
Academic Journal
A subject-specific publication published periodically and edited by experts in the journal subject area. Find journal articles by searching JSTOR or Gale (click on the Peer Reviewed box in the Advanced Search area).
Blog
A website where an author or group of authors write ongoing commentary, usually about a particular subject.
Databases
Databases are sometimes called the "deep web" or "invisible web" because their information is accessible via fee-based subscriptions using passwords and isn't usually indexed by search engines such as Google. Database records are organized using a variety of indexes such as author and subject but are keyword searchable as well. Databases are either subject specific such as World History in Context or content specific such as the newspaper and magazine database through iCONN.
Podcast
An audio broadcast usually aired on a regular schedule. You can subscribe to podcasts or download them onto portable audio devices. TED talks are great to listen to and offer information on a wide variety of subjects by topic experts.
Tweet
A very short blog entry (150 characters) using a website called Twitter. During protests in Iran Tweets were the only way news was getting out. Read this article in Time Magazine about Twitter and breaking news.
Wiki
A website where people can collaborate on a document or collection of information. One of the most visited sites on the Internet is Wikipedia.
