Teaching Student Researchers How to Generate and Use Keywords for Searches

Keyword / Search Terms: Introduction

One of the most challenging aspects of a search for information on the Internet for many, if not all of our students, comes at the beginning of the process, when they attempt to come up with effective keywords for their search.  Many students will choose the first words which come into their heads. Now, of course, they are not choosing words unrelated to their search but often these search terms are not effective at generating useful results.   In an age where much of the information students read and use, comes from the Internet and not from sources we supply, such as textbooks, it is part of our role as teachers to assist students in acquiring the necessary skills to carry out effective research, one of these being generating keywords or search terms.  

Various studies into student behaviour when performing an internet search have revealed some of the following:

• Student self perception of their skill level in performing internet searches exceeds their ability (Williamson, 2007)
• Many students do little planning at the beginning of their research (Laxman, 2009).  In Laxman’s study he asked students about planning searches before actually carrying them out, and how they did so.  48% of them did not plan in advance.  One of their replies could well mirror our students: “No, I do not plan because I think that the net is very resourceful. I just type in the words in the search engine and upon execution, the desired information would automatically appear.”
• Search terms used will often mirror the language of the assignment. (Georgas, 2014)
• Synonyms are seldom used, nor are related terms. (Georgas, 2014)
• If students vary their search terms, they will do so in minor ways.  For example, they will change prepositions, drop a word or phrase, or invert the word order. (Georgas, 2014)
• Students rarely use quotation marks to designate an exact phrase; Boolean operators (even if they know about them); format terms, and date ranges. (Georgas, 2014)

Learning to choose efficient keywords and keyword chains can be taught.  However, the problem we will face is that students are reluctant to give up habits acquired over years of schooling.  As Williamson points out (2007) they believe that they already know how to do this.  Thus, it requires scaffolded activities starting as early as possible that are embedded in the assessment project criteria.  For example, requiring students to submit a list of keywords or search terms (or even a document mapping out their search strategy) along with the other elements of their assignment will help to emphasise the importance of this activity in improving their search results.  As I often point out to students during library research lessons, if you use ‘inferior’ sources, your work can not be of the highest quality.

Works Cited

Georgas, Helen. "Google vs. the Library (Part II): Student Search Patterns and Behaviors When Using Google and a Federated Search Tool." Libraries and the Academy, vol. 14, no. 4, 2014. John Hopkins University Press, www.press.jhu.edu/journals/portal_libraries_and_the_academy/portal_pre_print/articles/14.4georgas.pdf. Accessed 6 Oct. 2016.

Laxman, Kumar. "A Baseline Study on the Internet Information Search Proficiencies of Polytechnic Students in Singapore." International Journal of Education and Development Using ICT, vol. 5, no. 3, 2009. International Journal of Education and Development Using Information and Communication Technology, ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/viewarticle.php?id=936. Accessed 6 Oct. 2016.

Williamson, Kirsty, et al. "Research Students in the Electronic Age: Impacts of Changing Information Behavior on Information Literacy Needs." Communications in Information Literacy, vol. 1, no. 2, 2007. Communications in Information Literacy, www.comminfolit.org/index.php?journal=cil&page=article&op=viewArticle&path%5B%5D=Fall2007AR1&path%5B%5D=48. Accessed 6 Oct. 2016.

A Model for Inquiry

During my investigations, I came across the website, Inquiring Mind and Herron's model for classifying inquiries.  Now this gets interesting on a number of levels.  Herron's model as shown on that website is going to be another part of my workshop and so I tried to find the original reference to it.  However, after hours of research to find the original source, I must now call it the Schwab/Herron model. This model was first suggested by Joseph J. Schwab in the article, Teaching Science as Inquiry (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,Volume 14, Issue 9, 1958); and then added to by M.D. Herron (The nature of Scientific Inquiry. School Review 79(2): 171–212.).  Both were describing  inquiry in lab experiments in science education. Diagrams of it appear on various websites but I have yet to find its original source.  Neither Schwab, nor Herron seem to have put their ideas into a diagram.

Level of Inquiry	Teacher supplied problem?	Teacher prescribed procedure?	Solution known in advance?
0 Confirmation/Verification	Y	Y	Y
1 Structured	Y	Y	N
2 Guided	Y	N	N
3 Open	N	N	N

I like this model as a description of the various stages of inquiry.  Hopefully, we are beyond level 0.  I would like to think that our grade 6 students are at the level 1 stage, and that as students progress through the secondary school, they will move into the 2nd level, until finally in grade 11 when students start the Extended Essay, they have reached the final level of open inquiry.  That's what I hope anyway!

What they need to know and how to teach it - a beginning

I am the extended essay co-ordinator at my school, and I also work with students in grades 6-11 on research related skills.  From a number of years of observation, I have come to realise that my students face several difficulties when researching.  They don't have the skills to effectively summarise or précis a text and take notes, either on paper or online; they are unable for the most part to develop a search strategy and generate effective search terms; and they aren't experienced or sophisticated enough to recognise appropriate print or electronic sources.

I have worked with students on some of these skills year after year.  However, the skills are not reinforced by the teachers, who still see this as my job.  I do understand why this happens.  Teachers have enough to do just preparing activities for their subject matter, without also including activities to help develop note taking and other research skills.  Furthermore, in many cases teachers are not well versed in research themselves, especially Internet research.  However, as we all know, it takes hard work, frequent practice, and perseverance to develop any skill.  The majority of students (and others) will take the easiest way out.  Without constant reinforcement they won't develop a list of search terms, they won't use more than one or two key words, they will never develop a search strategy, and finally they won't note take when they can more easily copy and paste.  The challenge for me is to turn things around for both students and teachers.  But how?

I've been reading for months, or is it years?  At some point and that appears to be fast approaching, I have to synthesise what I've read and develop a strategy for moving forward. The workshops I attended at AASL were a catalyst but I was ready for what they said and had, for the most, come to the same or similar conclusions.  Students should have scaffolded activities in research, building year after year, to the point where they were able to research independently  That isn't what is happening at the moment at my school.

Some of the Resources I Am Using

I have been reading widely both in print and on the net for some time.  It wasn't until I went to AASL that I had my present focus but a lot of what I had read in the past had led me to be open to various ideas which came out of the conference.

I shall start with a list of some of the print resources I have been delving into or studying at great length:

Harvey, Stephanie, and Harvey Daniels. Comprehension and Collaboration: Inquiry Circles in Action. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2009. Print.

Koechlin, Carol, and Sandi Zwaan. Q Tasks. Markham: Pembroke, 2014. Print.

Kuhlthau, Carol C., Leslie K. Maniotes, and Ann K. Caspari. Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited, 2015. Print.

Maniotes, Leslie K., LaDawna Harrington, and Patrice Lambusta. Guided Inquiry Design in Action: Middle School. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited, 2016. Print.

Patton, Alex. Work that Matters: The Teacher's Guide to Project-Based Learning. London: Paul Hamlyn Foundation, 2012. <http://www.innovationunit.org/sites/default/files/Teacher's%20Guide%20to%20Project-based%20Learning.pdf>

Schmidt, Randell K., Emilia N. Giordano, and Geoffrey M. Schmidt. A Guided Inquiry Approach to Teaching the Humanities Research Project. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited, 2015. Print.

Woops, I just noticed that one e-resource has crept into that list but I will leave it!

Next Step: The project and what it may look like!

After AASL I decided, for a number of reasons, that we should consider introducing a project into the grade 9 study skills course, into which we could embed many of the skills we are teaching through stand alone lessons at the present time.  This is the project I am wrestling with and have discussed on the International School Library Connection on Facebook.  (Thank you by the way for all the great input!)

The design of the project is to follow the precepts of Guided Inquiry:

• It will take into account Carol Kuhlthau's Model of the Information Search Process 
• It will follow the Guided Inquiry design process, including the stages: Open, Immerse, Explore, Identify, Gather, Create, Share and Evaluate
• It will involve the establishment of an inquiry community, including a team approach for teachers, inquiry circles and "study buddies" for students

(Kuhlthau, Carol C., Leslie K. Maniotes, and Ann K. Caspari. Guided Inquiry: 

     Learning in the 21st Century. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited, 2015. 
     Print.)

It will also:

• be set in the Global Context of Scientific and Technical Innovation
• be of interest to and have meaning for the students
• result in a product or performance that has personal and/or social value
• address key information literacy standards
• pose essential questions of relevance to the students
• develop habits of mind and work associated with academic and professional disciplines
• require students to develop organisational and self management skills
• extend beyond the classroom
• require real investigations using a variety of methods, media, and sources
• provide milestones/checkpoints
• involve lots of reflection for students and teachers
• result in exhibitions and performances
• be grounded in personal, school and real-world standards of performance

(Patton, Alex. Work that Matters: The Teacher's Guide to Project-Based Learning. 

     London: Paul Hamlyn Foundation, 2012. <http://www.innovationunit.org/ 
     sites/default/files/Teacher's%20Guide%20to%20Project-based%20Learning.pdf> )

This is where I am today and who knows how things will develop over the summer before the project begins.  Comments appreciated!