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Psychology: Research Process

Ignatian Research Process

IGNATIAN RESEARCH PROCESS

1. CONTEXT
2. EXPERIENCE
3. REFLECTION
4. ACTION
5. EVALUATION

CONTEXT

DEFINE THE TASK.

Define the Problem

  1. Ask questions
    1. What is the problem?
    2. What information is needed?
    3. What do I already know?
    4. What do I need to find out?
  2. Read relevant background information.
  3. Write a statement or question that clearly identifies the information problem.
  4. Identify and define key words.

Identify the Information Requirements of the Problem

  1. Acceptable Resources: How many? Types? How current?
  2. List tasks in order and create a schedule for accomplishing them.

EXPERIENCE

LOCATE, GATHER, & SECURE SOURCES

Determine the Range of Possible Sources

  1. Make a list of resources that you know about and can use for the assignment.
  2. Ask another person (such as your librarian!) or group for other sources you may not already know about. The library website will link you to library research databases, thelibrary catalog and resources on specific topics.

Locate the Sources

  1. Identify the sources in your classroom (i.e. textbooks, magazines, assigned readings, class websites)
  2. Find additional sources in school, public or academic libraries. Use the key word list your created earlier when you search.
    • Use the library catalog to find books on your topic.
      1. When pulling a book from a library shelf, be sure to browse the shelves around it to locate other sources on your topic. You’re sure to find another resource nearby.
    • Use the library databases to find articles from magazines, journals, newspapers and other books on your topic.

REFLECTION

SELECT AND ASSESS RESOURCES

CREDIT SOURCES

Engage the Information in a Source

  1. Read, hear, or view the information in a source.
  2. Identify the main ideas, key words, dates, names, etc. that will be important for note-taking.
  3. Evaluate the information for reliability and usefulness.

Extract Information from a Source

  1. There are many approaches to extracting information from a source.
  2. If the source is written material, the Photocopy/Highlight note-taking method can be used.
  3. When using other types of materials like audio and video, listen to or watch the whole presentation first. Next, listen to or view the presentation again, stopping to write down important information.
  4. For electronic sources of information, download appropriate files.
  5. Write down bibliographic information for the sources you use.

Organize Information from Multiple Sources

  1. Put note cards (from multiple sources) in logical order.
  2. Develop an outline (storyboard, script, etc.) for the topic.

Credit your sources

Avoid plagiarism.

Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, ideas, images, sounds, or the creative expression of others as your own.

According to St. Xavier High School Academic Integrity Guidelines:

Plagiarizing, another form of cheating, means summarizing, paraphrasing, or quoting an outside source without attribution. There are three forms of scholarly indebtedness. This occurs when

  •  a summary abbreviates an outside source
  • a paraphrase expands an outside source
  • a quotation uses exact words or other details from an outside source.

All three forms of indebtedness require sufficient, accurate attribution so that others can discern and verify the source. False attribution makes it seem that information has an outside source when it does not, fails to attribute all of the sources, or attributes a false source.

To avoid plagiarism, use these three strategies:

Quoting

Quotations are the exact words of an author, copied directly from a source, word for word. Quotations must be cited!

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing means rephrasing the words of an author, putting his/her thoughts in your own words. When you paraphrase, you rework the source’s ideas, words, phrases, and sentence structures with your own. Like quotations, paraphrased material must be followed with in-text documentation and cited on your Works Cited page.

Summarizing

Summarizing involves putting the main ideas of one or several writers into your own words, including only the main points. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material. Again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to their original sources.

Creating Citations

1. Create a Works Cited page 

2. Create in-text citations for your paper

ACTION

Presenting Information

  1. Choose the best way to present the information.
  2. Allow enough time to do a good job.
  3. Pay close attention to details (e.g. neatness, spelling, etc.) These things can make or break a presentation.

EVALUATION

Judge the Product

  1. Decide whether or not the assignment is fully completed.
  2. Decide if the project meets the criteria set up for the assignment.

Judge the Information Problem Solving Process

  1. Determine whether the information need as originally defined is met.
  2. State what you would do differently next time.

Sources:

Big6 Associates, LLC.  Big6 : An information problem-solving process.  5 November  2007.   <http://www.big6.com/>

Valenza, Joyce. Power Tools Recharged : 125 + Essential Forms and Presentations for Your  
      School Library Information Program.  Chicago: American Library Association, 2004.

Posted by Julie Conlon.