Standard 6: Research

Students will engage in inquiry to acquire, refine, and share knowledge.

5.6.R.1 Students will use their own viable research questions to find information about a specific topic.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

• Students develop questions that can be researched.   
• Students use their questions to find information about a specific topic.
• Students use of search engines to find resources rather than using them as an actual resource.
• For example, students should never cite Google as a source; rather, they should use Google effectively to find articles, journals, newspapers, etc. 

• Teachers explain that viable research questions should be areas of interest for the writer and not too broad or too narrow to research, and then model how to form viable questions on a topic.
• Teachers provide students with opportunities and strategies to form viable questions on a topic, and provide feedback regarding their questions during conferences.  
• Teachers provide strategies and opportunities for students to use their questions to find information on the topic, and provide feedback regarding their research during conferences. 
• Teachers model brainstorming questions that fit the topic, as well as questions that do not fit the topic. Helping students sort through appropriate questions will support them as they learn and practice discriminating between the two. 
• Teachers provide students with guidelines to give support and guidance as they practice this skill:
• Is the question clear?
• Is the question specific?
• Does the student have an interest in the question?

• Teachers instruct students regarding the use of search engines to find resources rather than using them as an actual resource.

• For example, students should never cite Google as a source; rather, they should use Google effectively to find articles, journals, newspapers, etc. 

• Teachers instruct students on what to enter in an online search engine to find appropriate resources. 

• Teachers set boundaries regarding research time (minutes, not days or weeks), understanding that students need support to avoid "falling down a rabbit hole." 

Supporting Resources 

Teacher Insights 

How to Ask Questions to Increase Comprehension (Google Doc)

Developing Successful Research Questions (webpage)

How to Write Research Questions (webpage) 

Questioning: A Comprehension Strategy (webpage)

Creating Question and Answer Books through Guided Research (webpage)

Question and Answer Books--From Genre Study to Report Writing (webpage)

I-Search Process Reflection Chart (webpage)

Inquiry Charts (I-Charts) (webpage)

Literature as a Jumping Off Point for Nonfiction Inquiry (webpage)

• The intention of this standard is for students to acknowledge connections between topics and sources. At this level, students determine what sources provide relevant, targeted information for specific questions.

• Viable research questions will include words like how and/or why.

• To be viable, the question needs to be not so broad that it can be easily answered or that has too much information to explore.

• The question should also be not so narrow that there are too few resources to choose from and not enough information to prove credibility.    

Due to recursive nature of the standards, it is essential that teachers are aware of how all objectives within and between strands work together for optimal instruction.