Queensland Academy of Health Sciences is a senior secondary high school offering IB Diploma Programme. As part of the Diploma students are required to complete a references research essay. Kuhlthau's ISP was adapted to provide students with a research structure.

1. The Information Search Process (ISP)
& the research essay
How one school library
supports student learning by
using the ISP as the framework
for the Extended Essay
Helen Reynolds
Teacher Librarian
Extended Essay Co ordinator
Queensland Academy for Health Sciences
IASL
2010

2. Queensland Academy for Health Sciences
• Ed Qld senior secondary high school
• Emphasis on Health Sciences
• 1 of 3 – QACI & SMT
• Years 10-12
• IB DP only
• Selective entry – academic test &
interview
• Students drawn from a number
of different secondary schools

3. The Extended Essay
• 4000 word fully referenced research
essay on topic of students’ choosing
• Done over a 12 month period
• Promotes high level research &
writing, intellectual discovery and
creativity
• Students are engaged in personal
research – under the guidance of a
supervisor (usually a teacher in the
school)
• Compulsory for all DP students
• Externally assessed
• The IB Learner Profile is the basis of
the essay

4. The Information Search Process
2. Selection : Decide on
topic for research.
General information
1. Initiation: 3. Exploration :
investigated. Discuss
Investigate & Begin to gather
topic with others
understand background
requirements of the EE. information on the
General topic area topic with the idea of
selected & ideas forming a focus.
considered. Develop new
Brainstorm prior knowledge.
knowledge.
Framework for
research
Information Search
Process
4. Formulation : Develop
focus questions. Focus
6. Presentation: gives direction to your
Information search 5. Collection : search for information.
complete . Essay Gather, review & Evaluate information
writing begins. record specific gathered. Re visit topic to
information in ensure relevance
support of focus
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/information_search_process.htm

5. Step One – Initiation
In the first stage, initiation, a person becomes aware of
a gap in knowledge or a lack of understanding, where
feelings of uncertainty and apprehension are common.
At this point, the task is merely to recognize a need for
information.
Thoughts center on contemplating the problem,
comprehending the task, and relating the problem to
prior experience and personal knowledge.
Actions frequently involve discussing possible avenues
of approach or topics to pursue.

6. Step One – Initiation
[Inquirers, Thinkers, Risk-takers]
• Investigate & understand requirements of the EE
• Clarify the expectations and different tasks needed to complete the EE
• Relate the task to your personal knowledge
• Select your general subject area
• Establish & map your prior knowledge
• Develop an understanding of the real world relevance of your investigation
• Task organisation
• Recognise what information may be needed

7. All dates
and tasks
are
embedded
into the
process of
the ISP

8. Step Two – Selection
• Identify and select the general topic to be investigated and the approach
to be pursued.
• Weigh prospective topics against the criteria of task requirements, time
allotted, personal interest, and information available.
• The outcome of the possible choices is predicted, and the topic or
approach judged to have the greatest potential for success is selected.
• Confer with others & make a preliminary search of information available
• Skim and scan for an overview of alternative topics

9. Step Two – Selection
[Inquirers, Open- minded, Knowledgeable, Reflective,
Thinkers, Risk-takers]
• Brainstorm potential topics and themes of interest
• Investigate general information – begin background reading to access &
build background knowledge of your topic
There is no need at this stage to be making lots of notes! You may just
wish to be making brief dots points
• Meet with supervisor to identify, justify & decide on topic for research
• Discuss topic with others

10. Step Three – Exploration
[Inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, open-mined, reflective]
• Gather background information to form a focus & develop new
knowledge [this is often called an annotated bibliography] - use a graphic
organiser to record your ideas
• Relate new information to what you already know
• Verify and clarify any existing ideas you may have & the accuracy and
bias of these ideas
• Look at quality of your sources & the quality of any websites you might
find
• Begin framing the essential questions that will guide your essay

11. Step Four – Formulation
[Thinkers, communicators, open-minded, reflective]
• Form focused perspective - factual platform on which to being to
develop and frame your focus questions
• What questions spring to mind as you do your reading – note these
down
• Develop focus questions
• Evaluate information gathered
• Personalised plan for the structure of your investigation
• Begin detailed list of references – reference list on the Library homepage

12. Step Five – Collection
[Inquirers, knowledgeable, open-minded, reflective]
• Gather, review & record specific information in support of focus- make
detailed notes
• Ensure that these notes answer your research questions and are not
just fact gathering
• Develop conclusions and your position on the topic

13. Step Six – Presentation
[Thinkers, communicators, open-minded, reflective]
In this stage you will be ready to begin writing your essay or
you may be ready to begin your experimental work.

14. Developing the research question
Subject
(what are you interested in?)
Topic
(after doing background reading have you found
anything that you think you can investigate)
Research question
(what is the specific question you are going to now answer)

15. Tasks Initiation Selection Exploration Formulation Collection Presentation
————————————————————————————————————————————→
Feelings uncertainly optimism confusion/ clarity sense of satisfaction or
(affective) frustration/ direction/ disappointment
doubt confidence
Thoughts vague———————————————→focused
(cognitive) ————————————————→
increased interest
Actions seeking relevant information——————————-→seeking pertinent information
(physical) exploring documenting

16. Supervisor's meetings
Supervisor discussion sheets

17. Supervisor Discussion Sheet 1

18. Supervisor Discussion Sheet 2

19. Supervisor discussion sheet 3

20. Feedback from BAM teacher
Supervisor discussion sheets
It gave both myself and students some structure to our
discussion and gave me a framework to assist them in
their early stages of research.
Loved the keyword/resources/background
reading section...very helpful for students in the initial
stages.

21. MLC contact
Over the 12 months I visit MLC classes 7 times
1. Week 1 & 2 term 3 – Introduction to the EE & review of ISP
2. Week 5 term 3 – Review of progress & resource location
3. Week 1 term 4 – October review
4. Week 8 term 4 – Griffith University visit
5. Week 8 term 4 – Students present to MLC class on topic
6. Week 9 term 1 – Draft checklist distributed
7. Week 9 term 2 – Student evaluation checklist distributed

22. Resource location
Google Echo BRW
Scholar/ New
Scientist Jstor
Australian
research Grove
UQ Internet
sources &
Griffith
online Library music
reference university Ted.com
page information databases
ANZRC
Visual
Australian Reference dictionary online
databases
Collaboration
sites
Accessing
Wikipedia
on line Brisbane
City
Council
resources library
Griffith
University
UQ Library
Cyberschool
Other
Curriculum
Intute
exchange libraries State Library
Collated of
Gold Queensland
Internet Netlinks Coast National
Ipl2 Library Library of
sites Australia
IBIBLIO online
BUBL online databases
databases Trove
Educypedia EdNa

23. Introduction to ISP in year 10
Term 1 week 5
• Trial EE – also doubles for entries into CSIRO Crest awards
• ISP embedded into assignment – Parts 1-5 : Research of existing ideas
• Introduction to students occurs early in assignment
• Concept of the importance of a research framework stressed
• The steps of the ISP linked to due dates (teacher checkpoints)
• Assessment criteria
Based on EE general & subject specific assessment criteria (includes all aspects
of Parts 1-5)

24. What our students say about the ISP - Year 12
100
100
90
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
Yes no Yes no
In the first six months of your EE
journey, did you follow the If you did follow this
framework of the ISP - initiation, framework , did it help you
selection, exploration etc? keep on task?

25. What our students say about the ISP - Year 12
100
100
90
90
80 80
70 70
60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
Yes no Yes no
If you had followed these
steps do you think you may Have you used this
have experienced more framework in any of your
success in your essay? other subject areas?

26. What our students say about the ISP - Year 10
100
100
90
90
80
80
70
70
60 60
50
50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
Yes no Yes no
The ISP: did you follow these steps
Was the introduction session when beginning your essay?
run by Ms Reynolds helpful to
you? Step 1. Initiation: What do I really
want to find out?

27. What our students say about the ISP - Year 10
100 100
90 90
80 80
70 70
60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
Yes no Yes no
Step 2: Selection – Step 3. Exploration –
General information investigated gather background information

28. What our students say about the ISP - Year 10
100 100
90 90
80 80
70 70
60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20
20
10
10
0
0
Yes no
Yes no
If you did follow this If you had followed these steps do
framework, did it help you keep you think you may have
on task... experienced more success in your
research?

29. What our students say about the ISP - Year 10
Did your background reading At your previous school were
help you formulate your you shown how to use this
investigation? type of research framework?
100 100
90 90
80 80
70 70
60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
yes no YES NO

30. What our students say about the ISP - Year 10
If you didn’t, why do you think you didn’t...

31. How did you find your resources?

32. Year 12 survey 2009
100
From a science teacher comment 90
for Program Area Review report: 80
70
60
ISP process and explanations to 50
students outstanding – 40
30
20
Year 10 student learning and 10
output improved 0
Yes no
When you did your EE did you follow
the framework of the Information
Search Process – initiation, selection,
exploration, etc

33. Questions?