Research Skills: Grade 9

By the end of Grade 9, students will:

Inquiry and Research: Reasoning

begin to prioritize questions for significance, relevance and practicality
use planners independently
manage thoughts and feeling arising from research
select a variety of online databases
select handbooks, almanacs and directories
compare comprehensiveness of sources
analyse bias and suggest alternative sources
design criteria to evaluate information
begin to understand general principles of good research
begin to use a journal to track product and process, including emotional and intellectual responses

Inquiry and Research: Organizing

describe how periodicals are indexed in print or electronic form
use varied dictionary entries to determine connotation, etymology and idiom
gather human resource information from directories, electronic yellow pages and email
begin to create advanced databases and spreadsheets and output information in a variety of ways
chart concept formation
begin to use advanced bibliographic conventions
edit product for emphasis
verify the logic of argument
begin to follow a standard format for a variety of formats

Inquiry and Research: Communicating

conduct formal interview strategies to explore ideas during research process
complete delegated group work
use summaries in peer and teacher conferencing to check progress and test clarity of ideas
integrate varied forms of and approaches to information in presentations

Inquiry and Research: Applying

use visual organizers such as mind maps
maintain a log of thoughts and feelings as a response to learning
use community resources and organizations for information
search the Internet using a range of strategies available in a variety of single search engines
make connections between sources to provide overview
regroup and organize data to make connections
analyse conflicting information
make judgments and draw conclusions to solve problems