The Research Cycle

I. Developer

The research cycle was developed by Jamie McKenzie in 1995. Emphasis is given to the initial development of questions to clarify and establish subsequent steps in the research process.

II. Definition

The Research Cycle was first developed in 1995 to meet the need for a more robust approach to school research that would involve teams of student working on essential questions.

III. Component Part

QUESTIONING

PLANNING

GATHERING

SORTING & SIFTING

SYNTHESIZING

EVALUATING

• Questioning: student clarifies information needed and leads to elaborating questions
• Planning: student identifies likely sources of information
• Gathering: student collects pertinent information for consideration
• Sorting & sifting: student sorts and sifts in search of information that contributes to understanding
• Synthesizing: student arranges and rearranges information in search of patterns and/or a clearer picture
• Evaluating: student determines what information might be missing and repeats earlier stages of the research cycle in search of better, clearer information
• Reporting: student reports findings or recommendations.

IV. Advantages and Disadvantages

            Advantage- Good research puts students in the role of information consumers and demand little thought, imagination or skill.

            Disadvantage- It rejects topical research as being little more than information gathering unworthy of a student's time.

V. Implications for the Library Media Center

A library media specialist, however, has the freedom to interpret research findings, translate them into changes in a library program, implement the changes, assess the results, and modify the program as needed. When the students need to know new information, they inquire about it from the media specialist. Then they should make a decision about the information for their understanding and express it through their product.

VI. Websites

http://questioning.org/Q6/research.html

http://www.learnnc.org/reference/research%20cycle

http://fromnowon.org/oct97/researchcycle.html

http://questioning.org/rcycle.html

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/editorschoiceb/infopower/selectstripling1.cfm#fig1