Step 2: Gathering, Sorting, and Sifting

Task/Product | Step 1 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6

In this step you will be using a variety of library resources to find answers to your questions.

Tip:If you did not formulate questions in Step 1, go back and do it now. A topic is not a question.

Gather answers from a variety of sources. Your school library media center may have some of the following:

Print Resources  Pamphlets  Culturgrams  U.S. State Department Background Notes Subject Encyclopedias Lands and Peoples (Grolier) Encyclopedia of the First World (Facts on File) Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations (Gale) Encyclopedia of the Second World (Facts on File) Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture and Daily Life (Gale) Encyclopedia of the Third World (Facts on File) Peoples of the World (Gale) People and Places (World Book) Cultures of the World (Marshall Cavendish) Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures & Daily Life (Gale) General Encylcopedias Academic American Britannica Collier's Encyclopedia Compton's Encyclopedia Encyclopedia Americana World Book Encyclopedia Handbooks Statesman's Yearbook The Europa World Year Book Almanacs (Note: The index to an almanac is in the front of the book.)   Nonfiction Books   Check the library catalog for books about specific countries.

CD-ROM Resources 

World Factbook Discovering Nations, States, and Cultures (Gale) Junior Worldmark: All About Nations, States & Provinces (Gale) World Atlas (Mindscape, Microsoft)

Let's Visit Mexico (Queue) Let's Visit South America (Queue) Let's Visit Spain (Queue) General electronic encyclopedias

Internet Resources 

U.S. State Department: Background Notes U.S. State Department: Travel Warnings Health Information for Western Europe At Random in France Excite Travel: France Lonely Planet: Destination France The Paris Virtual Guide (HOT) Party Guide France The Paris Pages Time-Out's Guide to Paris The Weather Channel: Paris	Altapedia Online CIA World Factbook Countries Flags of the World Library of Congress - Country Studies Global Gastronomer: Cuisines of the World French Food from About.com Foreign Language for Travelers Languages for Travelers Universal Currency Converter Web of Online Dictionaries
Doing Research in French

Remember to cite your references. Check the MLA guidelines and examples for citing resources; however, your school may use a different format.

Sort your research findings by using note cards or a graphic organizer.

Sift through the resources, eliminating those that do not answer your questions.

Step 3 Synthesis and Evaluation

Task/Product | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6

Check point! It is time to assess your progress. Now that you have gathered information, stop to evaluate your findings. Have you found sufficient details to answer all your questions? Can you throw away material which is not useful or does not answer your questions? Do you need to rearrange the information in different categories? Can you condense or combine the information? Do you need to develop new questions to adequately cover your topic?

Figure out how much you have learned. Is the puzzle beginning to take shape? Are you able to make out any patterns? Try moving your information pieces around until some kind of picture emerges. You are looking for insight. What have you learned so far? What more do you need? You are trying to "tease" meaning out of fragments. Synthesis requires rearranging pieces of information until a new version emerges.

Step 4: Gathering/Sorting/Sifting 2

Task/Product | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 5 | Step 6

Now that you have synthesized your information and evaluated your progress, you are ready to locate additional information to answer your questions and further develop your topic. Return to any of the resources mentioned earlier in Step Two.

Step 5: Final Synthesis and Evaluation

Task/Product | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 6

Synthesis is the act of pulling your research and ideas together to form a new whole.

Before you begin, recall the items you were asked to consider in your research. They were:

• geography
• the arts
• notable figures and events
• other cultural aspects

PLANNING MY ITINERARY

RESEARCH FINDING	HOW THIS WILL BE REPRESENTED ON THE INTINERARY
EXAMPLE: 1. l'Arc de Triomphe	EXAMPLE: 1. Schedule time to visit the l'Arc de Triomphe and determine its location.
2.	2.
3.	3.
4.	4.

 

Step 6: Presentation

Task/Product | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5

Are you ready to prepare your presentation?

	Recall your task and product. Review all of your materials to prepare for your final product. Your product should reflect your efforts during the past steps in the research process.
		Questioning and Planning Gathering, Sorting, and Sifting Synthesis and Evaluation
	Consider: Do you have enough to say? Are you able to explain your findings as well as your suggestions clearly? Are you able to cite the references from which you obtained your facts?

 ¡Bon Voyage!