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Research at WMSIn sixth grade, students are introduced to how we do source-evaluation and research at WMS. The skills they learn here will help prepare them for all three years of middle school (and beyond)!
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TRAC
At WMS, we use the acronym TRAC to evaluate all sources of information. Watch this video to learn about TRAC and how it applies to research and learning.
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Click the "pop-out" button in the top right corner of the video if it will not load.
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Information sources
Now that you've learned about what the letters of TRAC stand for, let's see how it relates to different information sources. Here's a reminder of the three most common information sources for research:
Books
When you're thinking about books for research, think about nonfiction or reference books that you'd find in a library or classroom. Books with publishers and authors that make them reputable.
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Databases
Online databases are like virtual libraries that provide a variety of magazine, newspaper, and reference information and much more. What makes databases special is that they are collections of published sources AND the database has a publisher, so they're double trustworthy. Databases are accessed through the library website because we have subscriptions to them (which make them different from websites).
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Websites
Websites could be any source you find through a regular web search, from National Geographic to Wikipedia. Websites can be created and published by anyone with the knowhow.
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DATABASES
Databases can be a little confusing, so check out this video for a reminder of what they are and how they work. |
Click the "pop-out" button in the top right corner of the video if it will not load.
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Information sources: similarities and differences
databasesTrustworthy: Definitely - because a publisher is taking responsibility*
Relevant: Maybe - depending on your topic - use the index and table of contents to check. Accessible: Maybe - depending on the learner. Current: Maybe - but once it's published, it can't be updated! *This refers to professionally-published books. |
BooksTrustworthy: definitely - because a publisher is taking responsibility.
Relevant: Maybe - depending on your topic - try different keywords to see. Accessible: Maybe - many different reading levels are offered. Current: Probably - even if an article has been published, it can be updated because it's an online source. |
websitesTrustworthy: Maybe - it depends on who is taking responsibility and this can be tricky to tell.
Relevant: Maybe - depending on your topic - try different keywords to see. Accessible: Maybe - many different reading levels are offered. Current: Probably - websites can be updated at any time, so there's a good chance it will be (but not a guarantee). |
Using TRAC to Evaluate Sources
Click on the rubric to go to a copy in Google Docs. Make a copy for yourself.
