Student+Resources

The Big6™ Skills The Big6 is a process model of how people of all ages solve an information problem. From practice and study, we found that successful information problem-solving encompasses six stages with two sub-stages under each:

1. Task Definition
1.1 Define the information problem 1.2 Identify information needed

2. Information Seeking Strategies
2.1 Determine all possible sources 2.2 Select the best sources

3. Location and Access
3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and physically) 3.2 Find information within sources

4. Use of Information
4.1 Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch) 4.2 Extract relevant information

5. Synthesis
5.1 Organize from multiple sources 5.2 Present the information

6. Evaluation
6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness) 6.2 Judge the process (efficiency) People go through these Big6 stages—consciously or not—when they seek or apply information to solve a problem or make a decision. It’s not necessary to complete these stages in a linear order, and a given stage doesn’t have to take a lot of time. We have found that in almost all successful problem-solving situations, all stages are addressed. ** Check it Out! ** ** Look below to find useful online links to public libraries, peer reviewed reference databases and other helpful tools! ** Click on the EBSCO Circle it is a link to a subscription database available to the SPS Community. Resources in the Database Include: Advanced Placement Source (5,500 Full Text Academic Journals), EBSCO Animals, Health Source (80 Full Text Health Magazines, MAS Ultra (High School - Biographies, 500 Full Text magazines, 360 Reference Books, backfiles back to 1975) Newspaper Search, Primary Sources (Elementary) and more! __**User Name: SHS, Password: shelton**__ Directions and password information for EBSCO iConn is part of the [|Connecticut Education Network]. It provides all students, faculty and residents with online access to essential library and information resources. It is administered by the [|Connecticut State Library] in conjunction with the [|Department of Higher Education]. Through iCONN, a core level of information resources including secured access to licensed databases is available to every citizen in Connecticut. In addition, specialized research information is available to college students and faculty. Gale Virtual Reference Library includes: American Decades Primary Sources, Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstructions, Learning About the Holocaust, Political Theories for Students, UXL Encyclopedia of World Biography, WWII Reference Library, - Ebooks **username: shelton password: shelton** ** Free Quality Reference Websites ** __**Activities, Discovery and Games**__ - Discovery Education, National Geographic __**Almanacs**__ - Fact Monster, InfoPlease Almanac, The Old Farmer's Almanac, World Almanac for Kids __**Atlases**__ - Google Earth, Google Maps, National Geographic Explorer, World Atlas.com, __**Biography**__ - Biographical Dictionary, Biography.com, Children's Encyclopedia of Women, Wilson's Current Biography Sports, **__Books Online__ - Bartleby.com** __**Dictionaries**__ - Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster's Word Central, WriteExpress Rhyming Dictionary **__Encyclopedias__** - Encyclopedia Britanica, Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia Smithsonian, Wikipedia, Microsoft Encarta Concise __**Facts**__ - CIA The World Fact Book, Fact Monster Geography **__History__** - Doing the Decades Wiki __**Images (Graphics, Pictures, Etc)**__ - Clusty, Pics4learning, Picsearch __**Libraries**__ - Plumb Memorial Library (available resources include: Library Catalog, Literature Resource Center, Learning Express Library to practice for SAT, PrepMe SAT Prep, History Reference Center and more!), ALA Great Websites for Kids, Ask the Experts, Internet Public Library, Library of Congress, Library Spot, **Maps -** World Atlas __**Reseach Databases**__ - Answers.com, EBSCO, iConn, Internet Public Library, Internet Public Library Ready Reference, Refdesk.com, __**Science**__ - Biology4kids, Biomes of the World, Earth Floor Biomes, Biome Basics, Chem4kids, Geography4kids, Physics4kids, Periodic Table, MBGnet Biomes, World Biomes.com __**Search Engines -**__ **Google** __**,**__ **Ask for Kids** __**,**__ **KidsClick** __**!,**__ **Yahoo Kids** **__Vocabulary__ -** VocabTest (SAT prep)**// About the Project //** Student Assessment Links TRAILS is a project of Kent State University Libraries. It is a tool that provides a snapshot of high school students’ understanding of basic information literacy concepts. TRAILS is a g** eneral assessment designed to ** cover each of the five information categories (Develop Topic; Identify Potential Sources; Develop, Use, and Revise Search Strategies; Evaluate Sources and Information; Recognize How to Use Information Responsibly, Ethically, and Legally).