Preparing secondary school students for a successful visit to the library

USe this checklist so your students can make the most of their library visit:

Checklist: are your students really prepared?

Have they…

Clearly defined their topic:

Example of topic: history of teenagers' clothing styles

Isolated the key questions:

For some general ideas on teaching and developing key questions see The Research Cycle and Framing Essential Questions.

Example questions:

• Who are teenagers?
• What is clothing style?
• What are teenagers' clothing styles now?
• What were clothing styles 10 years ago?
• What impacted on changes if there are any?

Worked out the key words:

For some general ideas on teaching and developing keywords see Creating Keywords builder from Big 6.

Example keywords:

• Teenagers
• Clothing style
• Clothing
• Style
• History

Print this assignment research worksheet off for your students to use in the library.

Are they aware of the problems of plagiarism?

This is a growing issue for students and teachers. When using any information be aware of who the information belongs to and how to detect plagiarised material.

For some useful information on plagiarism and detecting cheating:

• TKI — A Plague on Plagarism;
• Avoiding plagiarism — from Purdue University, Indiana, USA;
• Plagiarism: what it is and how to recognise and avoid it — from Indiana University, Indiana, USA.

Do they have:

• Writing paper, pens, pencils;
• Library card which can have money loaded onto it for use in the photocopier or for printing.

More information

• Christchurch City Libraries services for secondary school teachers
• Assignment research worksheet — print this off for your students to use in the library.
• Information literacy resources are available at Big 6: Information Literacy for the Information age