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Volume 29, Number 2, December 2002

The I-Search with Grade 5: They Learn!

Carol Bowen

If you want to see fear on the faces of many Grade 4 or 5 students, just mention the word “research” to them. In many cases, the students have been asked to do research on a topic assigned to them by a teacher. As a teacher and a future teacher-librarian, I want students to have the proper motivation, skills and confidence to conduct and use research in a meaningful way.

The I-Search is a process approach to research proposed by Ken Macrorie (1988) who was frustrated with the meaningless traditional research papers students were writing. Joyce and Tallman (1997) expanded Macrorie’s vision by offering teachers and teacher-librarians practical applications for using the I-Search to teach both writing and researching skills. Recently, Duncan and Lockhart (2000) adapted the I-Search to a format suitable for elementary school students. This book contains lesson plans and forms that are adaptable for many elementary grade levels.

The personal nature of an “I-Search” motivates students because they are searching for something they want to know. The process approach aligns with constructivist philosophy and accommodates students’ different learning styles. The choices students can make with an I-Search give them a feeling of ownership and empowerment. Students have the opportunity to learn a process for doing research that can be used for a lifetime.

I decided to introduce a Grade 5 class to the I-Search method and observe to see if it answered problems of elementary research. I wanted to know:

Pre-I-Search Skills

Students needed language skills that included reading, reading comprehension, finding the main idea, identifying cause and effect, taking notes, summarizing, reflecting, narrative writing, revising, editing, using dictionaries and encyclopedias, and identifying key words. They needed to know some keyboarding, word processing, basic understanding of the Internet, using search engines and key words, limiting searches, identifying relevant information and using presentation software, such as Microsoft PowerPoint. The teacher-librarian and I taught these skills to the whole class, reinforcing the skills with individuals as needed. We taught a series of lessons on using the library and locating information from different sources before beginning the I-Search.

Students personalized their I-Search and proceeded through the steps using the four primary I-Search questions:

As the students worked through finding answers to these questions, I guided them by modeling strategies for accomplishing the tasks necessary to answer their questions.

The context of the language arts classroom did not change. Students were simply led to choose a topic of great interest to them and to discover the answers to the four primary questions of an I-Search.

THE I-SEARCH

The I-Search unit took place over a period of approximately six weeks. I allowed two weeks for the introduction and topic selection; one week for creating researchable questions and learning how to interview, take notes and cite sources; one week searching for information; and two weeks writing the paper and preparing the presentations.

We began the I-Search project with a class discussion of research in general. Everyone knew what search meant and that the prefix re meant “again” so we talked about research as searching again and again for information. We also talked about research not meaning to copy the same information down again and again.

I made a chart with the word research in the center and wrote their responses in bubbles all around the word. Student responses included:

I asked them if there were other places to find information besides encyclopedias and the Internet. After thinking a minute, they answered with dictionary, almanac, atlas and books. I probed a little further, asking Andrew how he learned about hunting, and he replied that his father and his grandfather had taught him. So, we established that we could find out information from other people, too.

I held up a nature magazine and asked if they could find any information about animals in something like this. Of course, they answered yes. Students then began to name other periodicals where information could be found. At this point, the research web was getting full and students were beginning to see connections between research, information, topics and sources.

Choosing a Topic

To help the students begin to think about topics that might interest them, I used the overhead projector to model creating an interest web. I wanted them to explore all the areas of their lives in the search for a topic, so I had them create individual webs that included areas such as hobbies, travel, family, school, interests and sports. Students listed specific items for each area, and chose three possible topics.

Before going to the school library resource center to do a preliminary search to see how much, if any, information was available on each topic, we discussed how to “skim and scan” for information. We made two trips as a class for this purpose, and some students made additional trips. They recorded the information they found from skimming and scanning on a worksheet (Duncan & Lockhart, 2000, Appendix E).

Using the information they were able to find during the preliminary search, students had an idea of whether or not they could find enough information on their topics. Students were instructed to discuss their possible topics with their families and decide on a final topic. Both the students and their parents signed off on the topic. After choosing a topic, students wrote in their reflection/learning logs on “Why I Chose This Topic.”

Assessing Prior Knowledge

I explained that I could tell from the stories of how they chose their topics that some of them already knew some things about their topics. I asked them if there was any need to look for information they already knew to be a fact, and they all said no. I then asked them to write on the topic, “What I Knew before I Started My I-Search.” I encouraged the students to put down everything that they knew to be a fact about their topics. This essay became a part of their reflection/learning logs.

We then talked about what they wanted to know about their topics. I drew a K-W-L chart on the overhead: K stands for what we already know about a topic; W stands for what we want to know, and L stands for what we learned. Although I did not require them to use this format, I gave students the option of using a K-W-L chart if it would be helpful to organize their information in this format, and a few did use the chart. Most combined this step with writing their questions.

We discussed different kinds of questions. The students reached a consensus that questions requiring only one or two words to answer were “skinny” questions while questions requiring longer answers were “fat” questions. We talked about using both kinds of questions when writing research questions and conducting interviews.

To generate ideas for sources of information on their topics, students wrote their topics on notebook paper and passed the paper around the class. Each student listed one source they could think of for finding information about each topic, giving students a resource to help them locate sources of information (Duncan & Lockhart, 2000). We discussed different sources such as print and electronic encyclopedias, non-fiction books, magazines, the Internet, and interviews, and how to access and use them. Most of the sources of information were available in the library resource center and some were available in our classroom.

I set deadlines for completing the I-Search papers and the projects. I explained to the class that there were two final parts to the I-Search: presenting the story of their search and presenting the information they learned about their topics. They could write a paper telling the story of their search and do a separate presentation on their topics or they could use the story of their search within the presentation of their topics. The latter choice might involve writing the story of the search in the form of a book. We discussed using the papers they had already written about “Why I Chose this Topic,” and “What I Knew before I Started,” and how these papers and other parts of their learning logs could help them write the story of their search.

Because we had concentrated so heavily on writing compositions during the year, detailed instruction in how to write the papers was not needed. I showed them examples of completed papers done by other students, including a storyboard of a picture book format (Duncan & Lockhart, 2000). Most students wrote their I-Search papers using the I-Search questions as headings.

At this point, we discussed options in answer to the question, “How will I show what I learned?” I modeled examples of different types of presentations they might want to consider for their projects. These examples included making posters, using storyboards to create different types of books, using real objects related to their I-Search in a demonstration, creating PowerPoint presentations, making a video, and creating a photo essay. Presentations were scheduled over three days, with students signing up for their preferred time.

As a component of their presentations or I-Search papers, students completed a self-evaluation of the I-Search process (Duncan & Lockhart, 2000). Some students took a global approach and used general terms for things like “I can improve on doing research,” while others were very specific. All felt that they had learned more about how to do research and would use what they learned in the future.

Motivation

I observed that the students began working on their I-Search projects independently. The teachers who were involved with the students as they did their I-Searches all reported that the students were motivated and interested in what they were doing. Even without a deadline for pieces of the I-Search, I noticed that most students were on task and did not fall behind. If a student did get behind, other students would motivate them by sharing what they were doing.

Conclusions

How will the I-Search work to shape students’ models of research? Based on the students’ self-evaluations, their motivation to work through the process to the end during a very busy time, and their finished products, I think that they are no longer afraid of the word “research.” Looking for information in traditional and nontraditional sources opened an avenue to them that had never been explored before.

I-Search also helped students break the bonds of “cut and paste.” Even the students who normally struggled the most were able to write the information in their own words when given the opportunity to use personal narrative writing. In addition, the questions themselves were a guide to help them stay on track. Although I was pleased that students did not copy information straight from encyclopedias and other sources, I did find that some students reported inaccurate information.

How will the I-Search topic selection process work with elementary students? I thought that my students would like picking their own topics, but for some the process was not easy. Even with the webbing activities, the discussion with parents, and the preliminary search to see what information was available, some students had a hard time deciding on a topic.

I think that the time spent choosing topics was a little too long for some students. Students who immediately recognized what they wanted for their topic became a little restless, while others were agonizing over topics.

Most of the topics were very practical. They ranged from caring for babies to caring for pets; from Paris to Jamaica to Florida; from hunting to dolphins to caterpillars. Some students exhibited a mild interest in their topic while others displayed a keen interest. Most students had good reasons for choosing their topics.

How will students handle the freedom of presentation for their research? There were seven I-Search posters, six student-made books, two demonstrations, one video, and one PowerPoint presentation. The choice of format for their presentations was totally up to the students. I provided supplies for students to make posters and books, and I offered to stay after school to help anyone who wished to make a PowerPoint presentation.

With the exception of the video and the PowerPoint presentation, the formats for the presentations were not particularly original. However, those students who created poster displays, books and demonstrations invested time and effort in their work. I tried to remember that the primary assessment was not the product, but the process that got them to the product.

My observations indicated that the students were motivated and worked hard to do a good job. Most students answered all their questions. From their self-evaluations, I learned that most students felt they had done some things well and some needed improvement.

Every student said that they would like to use the I-Search again in the future. Their reasons ranged from confidence in their ability to do research to enjoyment of personal topics. If the self-evaluations were honest, these students are ready and willing to I-Search again in the future.

REFERENCES

Duncan, D. & Lockhart, L. (2000). I-Search, you search, we all learn to research. New York: Neal-Schuman.
Joyce, M. & Tallman, J. (1997). Making the writing and research connection with the I-Search process. New York: Neal Schuman.
Macrorie, K. (1988). The I-Search paper. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman.
Microsoft Corporation. (1997). PowerPoint.

Carol Bowen, formerly a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher, is currently a teacher-librarian at Luella Middle School in Locust Grove, Georgia. She is actively involved in promoting lifelong learning for students through teaching information literacy and instilling a love of reading and literature through collaborative relationships with teachers. She can be reached at cbowen@henry.k12.ga.us.

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