The I-Search Investigation

This I-Search Investigation is a personalized research paper. The “I” could mean individual or independent, but it mainly means “I,” the first person pronoun. This is to be YOUR paper. You will spend time exploring YOUR topic through various resources. It may sound like a tremendous amount of work but it really isn’t. Plus, you will be investigating a topic of your choosing.

The I-Search Investigation is made up of the following elements:

  • Step I: Becoming Immersed in a Topic and Generating an Essential Question (EQ)
  • Step II: Developing a Search Plan
  • Step III: Gathering and Integrating Information
  • Step IV: Representing Knowledge

Attached are the outlines and guides to help you complete this project. Not only will I show you how to complete each phase, you may use your Guided Reading time for individual conferences.

NTE: If you complete a phase ahead of schedule, you may conference with me for approval to move forward.

Investigation Process / Due Date / Date Completed ()
Step I: Choosing a Topic, and Generating an EQ
Step II: Developing a Search Plan
Step III: Gathering and Integrating Information
Step IV: Representing Knowledge (Written Draft)
StepV : Representing Knowledge (Final Draft)

Be advised that this project will also count double towards your reading and writing grades. Here are some tips for success:

  • Use class time wisely! You might find that you didn’t have as much time as you thought.
  • Ask for help when you need it. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
  • Stay organized. Keep everything you need in one place such as a large envelope or folder and remember to bring it to school every day.
  • Always save twice. If you have to save anything on a home or school computer, remember to make of copy of it on a portable flash drive. Again, bring your flash drive to school to access any work you may have done at home.

Here’s wishing you the best of luck on your I-Search Investigation!

Mrs. K. 

I understand the requirements of this assignment. I promise to contact Mrs. Kennedy if I have any questions or run into problems.

______

Student SignatureParent Signature

Step I: Choosing a Topic, and Generating an EQ

Although it may sound easy, this is probably the most difficult part of the investigation. Why you ask? You will have to eat, breathe, and sleep your topic for the next few weeks! By using the activities below, you should be able to come up with several interesting ideas. Thereafter, it’s just a matter of narrowing down your focus and generating a significant EQ.

Brainstorm #1: I Wish…

First, you will create your “I wish” statements such as “I wish I knew why it takes so long to create a movie from a book” or “I wish I knew why only a few people become astronauts”. Then you will respond with what you already know and why this is interesting.

I wish I knew…
why only a few people can become astronauts. / I know that…
they undergo rigorous testing and must be very smart. / I am interested because…
I’d like to be the first in my family to go up in space.
I wish I knew… / I know that… / I am interested because…
I wish I knew… / I know that… / I am interested because…
I wish I knew… / I know that… / I am interested because…

Brainstorm #2: Problem Solving

Sometimes we are passionate about things that upset us… If it weren’t for problems, then things would never get better. First identify a situation that affects either yourself or your community in a negative way. Then decide on how you could change the situation.

It really bugs me when… / If I were in charge, I would…
It really bugs me when… / If I were in charge, I would…
It really bugs me when… / If I were in charge, I would…
It really bugs me when… / If I were in charge, I would…

Are you ready???

EQ #1:______

______

______

EQ #2:______

______

______

Step II: Developing a Search Plan

Your investigation requires you to cite at least 5 sources of information about your topic.(See the rubric for more information.) Use the guide below to develop your plan of action. In your final paper, you must cite at least one Internet, one book or magazine, and one interview reference.

Restate Essential Question:______

______

______

Source / Citation / Action Date
Internet / URL and description of site:
Internet / URL and description of site:
Internet / URL and description of site:
Internet / URL and description of site:
Book or Magazine / Title, author, and description of book:
Book or Magazine / Title, author, and description of book:
Book or Magazine / Title, author, and description of book:
Book or Magazine / Title, author, and description of book:
Interview / Name and Company/Organization:
Interview / Name and Company/Organization:

Step III: Gathering and Integrating Information

In order to organize your research, you will use note cards. Note cards are handy for a couple of reasons. First, all of your research is on a handy card and not saved on a piece of paper or flash drive. Second, you will already have your citation listed on the card so you won’t have to go back and find the information for your bibliography.

IMPORTANT:
Be sure you write the bibliography onto your index card first. Then, add your annotations and any other information you have discovered.

How to do a Bibliography

Example of Internet bibliography:
Keep your notes brief; only write
down necessary information.
Full sentences are NOT
necessary as long as you have
enough information to understand
what you have just read.

Items in a bibliography are alphabetically ordered by author; and, if no author, then by title. Looking at the examples listed, the source authored by the Central Intelligence Agency would be listed before the source titled "How to Measure Justice". The source titled "Vietnam" would be last in order and the source by George Adams would come first.

WEBSITE:
Author of page, last name first, followed by a period. Title of page in quotes, followed by a period. Title of the entire website, underlined, followed by a period. The full URL address of the page, beginning with followed by the date you visited the site in parentheses, followed by a period.

Grimes, Barbara F., ed. "South Africa." Ethnologue.
(4 Feb 1999).

BOOK:
Author's name, last name first, followed by a period. Title underlined, followed by a period. Place of publication, followed by a colon. Publishers name, followed by a comma. Copyright date, followed by a period.

Morgan, Terri. Photography Take your Best Shot. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1991.

ENCYCLOPEDIA ARTICLE:
Author's name, last name first, followed by a period. Title of the article in quotation marks, followed by a period. Title of encyclopedia, underlined, followed by a period. Copyright date of edition, followed by a period. (If there is no author, leave it out.)

Dickinson, Robert E. "The Norman Conquest." World Book Encyclopedia. 1990 ed.

"Vietnam." Compton's Encyclopedia. 1992 ed.

MAGAZINE ARTICLE (MONTHLY):
Author's name, last name first, followed by a period. Title of article, in quotation marks, followed by a period. Title of magazine, underlined, followed by a period. Date of issue (month, then year), followed by a comma. Pages, followed by a period. (If there is no author, leave it out.)

Sterling, Jeffrey. "Apartheid in South Africa." The World & I. April 1986, pp. 27-35.

MAGAZINE ARTICLE (WEEKLY):
Same as a monthly magazine article, except the date is done differently. See below.

Smith, Belinda. "Chaos in Television." Time. 7 Feb. 1990, pp. 34-35.

NEWSPAPER:
Author's name, last name first, followed by a period. Title of article, in quotation marks, followed by a period. Title of newspaper, underlined, include city if necessary in parentheses, followed by a comma. Date (day, month, year) followed by a comma. Page, followed by a period. (If there is no author, leave it out.)

Adams, George. "Ford's Plan to Spur Republican Revival." Christian Science Monitor , 29 Nov. 1974, p. 20.

"How to Measure Justice." The Tennessean (Nashville), 19 Aug. 1979, p. 8.

INTERVIEW:
See example.

Personal interview with Robert Turrentine, President, Acme Boot Company, Clarksville, Tenn. , 11 Feb. 1987.

NEWSBANK:
Author's name, last name first, followed by a comma.
Title of article, in quotation marks, followed by a period. Title of newspaper or magazine underlined, followed by the date, followed by a period. Name of the database followed by a period. Date retrieved from database in parentheses.

Wood, Daniel B., "Largest Welfare to Work Program Called a Success." The Christian Science Monitor 20 April 1993. UMI Proquest Direct. (29 January 1999).

Tips for creating useful note cards:

  • Be sure to write down the source first. You may need to go back to that same source at a later time.
  • Your writing should be legible.
  • You may only paraphrase. If you decide to use a direct quote, see me about how to create a footnote in your final document.
  • Do copious research. Using more than the minimum number of sources will ensure that you have sufficient information to answer your Essential Question.
  • Ask for help when you need it. Don’t wait until the last minute to fix something that could have been repaired days before!

Best of luck in your quest for answers!

Step IV: Representing Knowledge (Written Draft)

Now that you have answered your Essential Question, it is time to put your experience into writing. Your first handwritten draft should be double-spaced on notebook paper and follow the format below:

Section I: What I Know, Assume, or Imagine

In this section you tell the reader what you have decided to do your research on and why you are interested in it. Tell what you already know about your subject, and then tell what you want to find out about it. This section usually takes 3/4 to 1 page, and quite often is written before the student ever begins actual research. (Refer to page 3 in your packet.)

Section II: The Search

In this section you tell where you went to do research and what you found out about your subject. This is the main part of the paper. Tell it in first person. For example: "I went to the library the first day and found a book on The Titanic. I learned that the Titanic....." This part of your paper should be 2 to 4 pages long.

Section III: What I Discovered

This section is a conclusion to your paper. It can be 1/2 to 1 page or more. Talk about your search. Was it successful? Was there information you couldn't find and do you still have questions about your subject? Did you learn things you hadn't expected or that changed your previous ideas about this subject? Tell your feelings about the search and what you learned.

Section IV: Bibliography

This lists the sources used in the I-Search paper. They are listed in alphabetical order, with the author's last name written first. If there is no author to a source, then the title of the article or book is listed first.

Step IV: Representing Knowledge (Final Draft)

You will be given an envelope or a folder to place all of the items on this checklist:

I-Search packet

Note cards (paper clip or rubber band together)

Written Draft

Final Draft

Please note that points will be deducted for late or missing items.

Be sure to refer to the Overall Rubric throughout your project to make sure you are on the right track.