Reference and Research Understanding Reference & Research Benchmarks Compiled by Debi Rice, Ed. S.

What is Reference & Research? Locates, gathers, interprets, and evaluates Information Analyzes validity and reliability of primary source information Synthesizes information from multiple sources to draw conclusions Analyze and evaluate information Fact and Opinion Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Assumptions: #1: Kids already know how to choose appropriate resources after doing a google search and generating a possible list of references. (gather & evaluate information) #2: Kids know how to extract relevant information from appropriate articles/references. (analyze information from primary and secondary sources)

Assumptions (cont.) #3: Kids already know how to organize and synthesize information they are getting from multiple sources. (synthesize information from multiple sources) #4: Kids already know how to interpret information they have gathered. (interpret data) #5: Kids already know how to write up information.

Teacher and student frustration: We assume: our students are already experts in locating, organizing, evaluating, synthesizing, and interpreting information from multiple sources. The reality: our students are still novices or at the developing stage.

Reference & Research Expectations Distinguish between a strong & a weak argument Determine which quote(s) from an article support an idea. Choose a statement that provides the best evidence about the significance of an event. Choose a statement that provides the best evidence that a discovery is significant.

Reference & Research Expectations (cont.) Check the validity of information Determine a statement that provides evidence of an authors point of view Conclusions of a researcher Identify the least accurate statement Locate and interpret information Locate and synthesize indirectly stated information within a text Draw conclusions/make inferences

What Can Teachers Do? Teachers should model how to obtain information for students. Use primary and secondary informational sources in class. Since students have less experience with informational text, provide more practice with this type of text.

What Can Teachers Help? Provide students with more post-reading activities related to analyzing and synthesizing content. Model how to do written summaries. Provide students with a wide variety of references.

Taking Steps Formulate questions for students to answer that require them to synthsize information and draw conclusions from the text. Give students practice in identifying evidence in text that supports their answers. These activities must be done in every content area.

Practice, Practice, Practice Using these question formats on all activities and assessments will help students become accustomed to responding in the same way they will be asked to respond on the FCAT or on an AP test.

SUPER RESOURCES Reference & Research Primary/Secondary Source Guide: Primary/Secondary Source Guide: ources.html ources.html Steps In Preparing The Research Paper: Student Guide Steps In Preparing The Research Paper: Student Guide ain.html ain.html Graphic Organizers: Graphic Organizers: html?wtlAC=Imo html?wtlAC=Imo702

References Florida DOE FCAT Item Specifications PowerPoint handout entitled FCAT Reading Performance Tasks by Dr. Wetzel, January 2009 PowerPoint entitled Reference and Research by LAA247