Research is a natural part of everyday life, but there are effective ways to conduct research.
Although the steps below are presented sequentially, the actual process is not so tidy. Students
may be working on several steps at once or may go back and forth among the steps.
A useful model for thinking about research is this: LEARN, THINK, SHARE. That is, students
learn about a topic; think about a topic; and share what they have learned.
Step I: Getting organized for research
Teacher
1. builds a sense of excitement and a positive attitude in students about the research project.
2. identifies potential resources―e.g., libraries, archives, historic sites, the Internet, people.
3. helps students to develop note-taking and paper-management systems.
4. informs students about project management procedures, such as contracts, work sheets, timelines,
and weekly plans.
Students
1. identify a preferred category (exhibit, paper, performance, documentary, web site) and decide
whether they would like to do an individual or group project.
Step II: Selecting a topic
Teacher
1. discusses the NHD theme and the importance of relating a topic to the theme.
2. presents a timeline for selecting a topic and guidelines for changing a topic.
Teacher and students
1. brainstorm possible topics using NHD and FHF suggested lists and considering possible links to
the planned curriculum.
2. discuss how to formulate research questions that explore who, what, when, where, why, and how
issues.
Students
1. think about topics based on their personal interests and curiosities.
Step III: Background reading for historical content
Teacher
1. introduces primary and secondary sources through discussion and exercises.
Students
1. begin background reading using secondary sources (e.g., encyclopedias, books, magazines,
newspapers, people) and practice using source sheets to record where they find information.
2. begin developing specific research questions.
3. develop a working title.
The Eight Steps of Research
Adapted from: “A Guide to Historical Research
Through the National History Day Program”
