Skills – Purpose |
Cognitive skills in identifying the topic and existing knowledge of the topic |
- What exactly is my topic about?
- What do I already know about this topic?
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Thinking skills such as brainstorming or concept mapping |
- What can I learn from other students about this topic?
- How might I draw a picture or concept map of what this topic is about?
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Skills in forming questions |
- What are the questions I want to ask about this topic?
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Skills in identifying print and electronic information resources |
- Where can I get more information about this topic?
- In the library?
- On the Web?
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Skills – Location |
Locational skills such as the ability to find information in library catalogues, books, CD-ROMs and the Web |
- How will I search for the information I need?
- What words should I use if I use a search engine?
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Selection skills in assessing the relevance of information resources |
- Is this what I really need?
- Will it be useful to me?
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IT skills using electronic sources such as the Web |
- How do I get on to a search engine?
- Should I use the library website?
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Skills – Use |
Reading skills including the ability to skim and scan print and electronic information resources to find relevant information and ideas |
- How can I quickly decide if this is the right kind of information for me?
- How can I find really useful information for my topic in this book/website?
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Interactive skills including the ability to understand the content of what is being read, viewed or listened to and the ability to relate this to existing knowledge |
- Do I understand what I’m reading?
- Should I look for another source?
- How does this fit in with what I’ve already got?
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Selective skills including the ability to select the appropriate information and reject irrelevant information in the context of the above purpose |
- Do I really need this information?
- Is it relevant to my topic or is it outside myparticular topic?
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Evaluation skills including the ability to evaluate information and ideas in relation to aspects such as the authority, reliability and currency of books, journals and websites |
- Who wrote this information and can I trust it?
- Is it biased?
- Is it out of date?
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Recording skills including the ability to take notes in a systematic way which relates to understanding and purpose |
- What should I take notes on?
- Should I copy and paste?
- Will I really be able to use these notes?
- Have I remembered to keep a note of authors, titles etc
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Synthesising skills including the ability to bring together related ideas, facts and information about a topic and relating this to existing knowledge |
- How do I bring all this together?
- Should I go back to my concept map?
- How should I organise my notes before I start to write?
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Writing or presentational skills including the ability to write an essay/report/project or give a verbal presentation, in a well structured, logically ordered manner which uses the ideas and information found to good effect |
- How will I structure my essay or talk?
- Can I use my keywords or concept map?
- Should I read the guidelines on the library website again?
- Did I read the teacher’s instructions correctly?
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Skills – Self-evaluation |
Self-evaluation skills including the ability to reflect on the processes involved in assignment-related work and to identify areas of improvement in planning, finding information for and writing/presenting an assignment in the future |
- What did I learn from doing this?
- Did I have a good concept map?
- Did I search for information well?
- Should I have used more keywords?
- Did I organise my essay/talk well?
- Did I use the guidelines on the library website well enough?
- How should I do it differently next time?
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