Student formulates appropriate research questions.
Suggested assignment to develop this skill.
Objective:
Working in small groups, students will select a debatable topic, conduct a preliminary debate using their beliefs without documentation. After the initial debate, students will analyze their debate, formulate questions to research to document their positions. The questions are researched and the debate conducted again using factual or supportable information.
Activity:
1. Develop a list of topics about which students tend to have an opinion.
2. Pair or group students according to interest requiring that 1-2 will argue the pro and 1-2 will argue the con.
3. Students consult for a short time and prepare a preliminary position statement (1 page or 5 minute-speech) using their beliefs about the topic.
4. A short debate is conducted using statements.
5. The group analyzes the debate; the group looks for points that require documentation. Questions for research are developed.
6. Questions are researched at the library with the librarian's assistance in choosing the appropriate tools.
7. The debate is conducted again. The class votes on the "winners."
