Research/Inquiry

Program Goals: Students will pursue their own interests and learning by questioning, locating, evaluating, and communicating information to conduct research, solve problems and facilitate informed action
Use the link below to access Cider Mill's resources for the Inquiry Model. You can use these resources to ask questions, locate information, evaluate information, as well as create and communicate information. These are only a few uses, you will find other tools for other purposes. We encourage you to look at this resource and follow the tabs that apply to each part of the inquiry model. Use the tools when they fit with your needs and purpose.
Question
What do I...
- Wonder about? (curiosity)
- Wish I could change? (problem solve)
- Wish I understood better? (critical thinking)
How can I...
- generate possible questions?
- provide innovative solutions to authentic problems?
- pose a clear, well-developed research question?
Locate
Where will I:
- gather background information and begin my investigation?
- locate information from multiple and different, reliable sources?
How can I:
- “tweak” my search terms as needed?
- find a variety of sources in different types of media to be sure I am including a wide range of perspectives?
Evaluate
How can I:
- assess the authority, accuracy, relevance and purpose of my sources?
- organize my notes?
- include multiple and informed perspectives?
Apply
How can I:
- select and effectively use tools to organize myself?
- synthesize what I have learned from my research?
- create an arguable thesis statement?
Communicate
When deciding how to share what I have learned, how will I consider my:
- audience?
- message?
- purpose?
And create a product that meets all of these needs?
How can I take action ?