Assess

Libraries

Brandon School Division

1031 - 6th Street

Brandon, MB R7A 4K5

Assessment

A key skill for anyone following the Inquiry Process is asking questions. The only way to find good answers is to start with good questions. The better the question, the more powerful the answer.

The best questions are the ones a person asks herself or himself.

There are important assessment questions to ask and answer at every stage of the Inquiry Process.

1. at the start, DEFINE: Explore, Focus, and Plan

Do I know what I want or need to know overall: can I state the Big Question?
(If this question hasn't been asked for you, be sure to ask it for yourself. Look at what you have been told to do, and decide what broad, global question you will be answering.)
Will this be interesting? (If not, what can I change to make it interesting?)
Am I confident I can find or create the information I need?
How much time have I got to do this?
Will I need help? (And if I do, whose help will I need?)
How can I make sure I learn new things while I do this?

2. then, GATHER: Find, Select, and Record data

Have I written down specific questions that will eventually help me answer the Big Question?
(Brainstorm a list, then review it and decide which questions matter most.)
Do I know where I will most likely find the answers to my questions? (Click here for a list of possibilities.)
Have I predicted what kinds of resources are likeliest to supply answers to my questions? (Click here to see a list.)
Have I made a list of keywords and phrases that I can use when I look for information?
(Brainstorm a list. It will be valuable once you start looking. Add to it as you discover other useful search terms in the information you find.)