Practical Research Project – JSS1 Digital Technologies Lesson Note (Third Term)

A practical research project is a task in which you find facts online, record them in your own words and present them to the class using slides.

Behavioural objectives

1. Choose a clear and specific research topic.
2. Use keywords in a search engine to find facts online.
3. Check information on two or three websites and record the source.
4. Write notes in your own words and save pictures in a project folder.
5. Build a presentation of about six slides using presentation software.
6. Present your project to the class clearly and politely.

What is online research?

Online research is the process of using the internet to find facts that answer a question.

• Question: the thing you want to find out, like a detective’s case.
• Clues: the facts you collect from websites.
• Tools: a browser (such as Chrome), a search engine (such as Google) and presentation software (such as PowerPoint).

How do you choose a research topic?

Choose a topic that is clear and specific, because a narrow topic is easier to research than a broad one.

How do you search for facts online?

You search by opening a browser, going to a search engine and typing keywords.

1. Open a browser such as Chrome.
2. Open a search engine such as Google.
3. Type your keywords in the search box.
4. Read the results and open two or three websites.

What are keywords?

Keywords are the main words that describe what you want to find.

• Weak search: “Tell me everything about lions”.
• Good search: “Lion habitat and diet”.
• Quotation marks: put a phrase in quotation marks, such as “African Lion facts”, to search for those exact words together.

How do you check that information is correct?

You check information by comparing what two or three different websites say.

• Do not use only the first site: the first result may not be the most correct.
• Compare the facts: if most sites agree, the fact is likely to be right.
• Spot errors: if one site says lions live at the North Pole and the others say Africa, the first site is wrong.

How do you organise your research information?

You organise information by taking short notes in your own words and recording where each fact came from.

How do you take notes?

• Do not copy and paste everything: read a paragraph, then write it in your own words.
• Example: the website says “The Panthera leo is a social feline”. You write “Lions are big cats that like to live in groups.”

What should you write down?

1. The main facts: what, where, when and why.
2. Interesting “Wow!” facts: for example, a lion’s roar can be heard from about 8 kilometres away. These make your presentation fun.
3. The source: copy the URL (website address) so you can give the author credit at the end.

How do you find and save pictures?

1. Look for clear, bright images that match your notes.
2. Right-click the image.
3. Select “Save Image As”.
4. Save it in your “Project Folder” on the computer.

How do you build presentation slides?

You build slides with presentation software such as PowerPoint, and a good project usually has about 5 to 6 slides.

What are the design tips for good slides?

• Keep it simple: use a light background with dark text so it is easy to read.
• The 6×6 rule: do not put more than 6 lines of text on one slide.
• One picture per slide: too many pictures make the slide look messy.

How do you present your project to the class?

You present by preparing well, speaking clearly to your audience and answering questions politely.

What should you do before presenting?

• Practise: stand in front of a mirror and say what you will tell the class for each slide.
• Check your technology: save your file on a flash drive or in your email so you can open it on the classroom computer.

What should you do during the presentation?

• Look up: do not only read from the screen. Look at your classmates and your teacher.
• Speak clearly: speak slowly so everyone can hear your facts.
• Show interest: if you think lions are interesting, let it show in your voice.

What should you do after the presentation?

• Ask for questions: say, “Does anyone have any questions about lions?”
• Say thank you: always thank your audience for listening.

Evaluation

1. Why is “Lion habitat and diet” a better search than “Tell me everything about lions”?
2. Why should you open two or three websites instead of one?
3. List the three things you should write down when taking notes.
4. State what goes on each of the six slides in a project.
5. Why is it important to have a “References” slide at the end of your project?

Assignment

1. Choose a topic you like, such as space, football or music. Write down three keywords you would use to search for it.
2. Practical: spend 10 minutes online finding three facts about your favourite animal. Save one picture of it in your project folder.