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LESSON MINI

Selecting and Refining Research Topics

Grade:

9-12

Topic:

Research

Unit:

Research Fundamentals
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Overview

Students studying together at a table in a classroom setting.
: © Valerii Honcharuk/stock.adobe.com

In this lesson mini, students evaluate current events, analyze bias in news sources, and conduct multi-perspective research. They use the Question Pyramid instructional strategy to dissect articles and select research topics, applying critical thinking to topic refinement. Students learn key source evaluation vocabulary and collaborate to present balanced perspectives. These activities develop skills for navigating today’s information-rich world, including distinguishing fact from opinion, identifying credible sources, and recognizing the importance of diverse viewpoints in research.

Ideas for Implementation
Social Studies
English
Humanities
Writing labs
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Key Vocabulary & Definitions
bias (noun): the tendency to present or interpret information in a way that is partial or prejudiced toward a particular point of view
criteria (plural noun): standards or guidelines used to evaluate and select or judge something, such as a research topic
fact (noun): information that can be proved true through evidence or observation
opinion (noun): a personal belief or judgment that is not necessarily based on facts or knowledge
perspective (noun): a particular way of viewing or understanding a situation or topic, often based on personal experiences or background
primary source (noun): an original document or firsthand account that has not been interpreted or edited by others
relevance (noun): the quality or state of being closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand; the state of being connected or applicable to a research topic
research topic (noun): the subject or issue that is the focus of an investigation or study for the purpose of gaining knowledge or understanding
secondary source (noun): a work that analyzes, interprets, or synthesizes information from primary sources
source (noun): any material (e.g., book, article, website) from which information is gathered when conducting research
Authentic Learning Extensions
Authentic learning opportunities for choosing a research topic involve real-world experiences and practical applications that help high school students understand research concepts meaningfully. Here are some examples:
Academic Journal Browsing: Provide students with access to academic journals in various fields. Have them browse recent issues, noting topics that intrigue them. They then develop potential research questions inspired by the cutting-edge research they’ve explored.
Community Issues Exploration: Have students interview local community members or leaders about pressing issues in their area. Based on these interviews, students develop potential research topics that address real community needs.
Current Events Research Proposal: Encourage students to follow news sources for a week, identifying issues that interest them. At the end of the week, have them propose a research topic based on a current event, explaining why it’s significant and how they’d approach researching it.
Interdisciplinary Connections Project: Challenge students to identify a topic that connects two or more of their current classes (e.g., the history of climate change). They then refine this broad connection into a specific, researchable topic.
Personal Interest Deep Dive: Ask students to choose a personal interest or hobby and spend a week diving deeper into it through online research, books, or discussions with experts. They then identify gaps in their knowledge that could form the basis of a research topic.

Choose Activity

Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
2
Selecting and Refining Research Topics

Activity

1:

Evaluating Topics and Reliable Sources

By the end of the activity, students will be able to evaluate current events, analyze bias and perspective in news, and research topics from multiple viewpoints.

>40

Minutes

Materials

Current event articles focusing on presidential elections, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Olympics, developments in artificial intelligence, or the effects of climate change
Whiteboard or display
Writing utensils

Resources

Compare Sources graphic organizer (one per student and one for teacher display)
Current Events Research handout (one per student and one for teacher display)
Prepare for the Activity: Select a few articles that cover the same news story from different perspectives.
1
Tell students that during today’s activity they will study vocabulary relevant to the evaluation of research topics and reliable sources and then participate in a group activity to research and present a news story from two different perspectives. Briefly explain the importance of this skill in today’s information-rich world.
2
Display and discuss the definitions of criteria, relevance, research topic, source, perspective, primary source, secondary source, bias, fact, and opinion. Write these terms and definitions on the board, or display them on a screen. To support student understanding of these definitions, ask the following questions:
What is a current issue about which you have a different perspective from your friends or family members?
What makes a news article biased? Are biased articles reliable?
Can you share an example of a fact and an opinion? How are they different?
What is the difference in the reporting when a primary source is used versus when a secondary source is used?
3
Ask students to share different current events, and scribe their ideas on the board. Invite them to reflect on the reasons these stories are newsworthy. For example: they are relevant, they are timely, and they affect a large number of people. Consider guiding students to name newsworthy events such as recent presidential elections, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Olympics, developments in artificial intelligence, or the effects of climate change.
4
As a class, come up with a broad list of news sources, and then discuss how perspective and bias play roles in the way headlines and stories are written. Encourage students to include both traditional and digital news sources, as well as local and international outlets.
5
Display two or three articles for students to discuss and analyze, focusing on how bias and perspective play roles in the way information is presented. Provide each student with a Compare Sources graphic organizer, which gives them a structured comparison framework to guide their analysis.
6
Divide students into groups of three or four, and ask them to further discuss the following questions:
How do perspectives influence the stories people share?
What is the main difference between primary and secondary sources?
What makes a news article biased?
What is the difference between a fact and an opinion?
How can readers identify and evaluate the credibility of different news sources?
7
Reassemble the class, and ask each group to share a key idea from their discussion. Encourage other groups to respectfully comment or ask questions.
8
Provide each student with a Current Events Research handout, explaining that for the next task, each small group will have to pick a current events topic to research and report on from different perspectives. Review the handout instructions as a class to ensure understanding.
9
Allocate specific class time for students to research their news topics, ensuring access to necessary resources (e.g., computers, reference materials). Then set another class date and time for students to present their findings.
10
Ask different groups to share their approaches and thoughts on the importance of considering perspectives, biases, and fact versus opinion when selecting and planning research topics. Encourage them to reflect on challenges they faced and strategies they used to overcome them.
11
Reinforce the definitions and importance of the key terms, and highlight how the skills practiced in this activity will help students in future research projects. Consider assigning a brief reflection piece as homework, asking students to apply these concepts to a personal experience with news or social media.
Topic Assignment: Consider assigning current events topics that are connected with a current unit of study. This benefits student learning by guiding students to engage with the topic in a more in-depth and holistic way. In addition, it allows students to evaluate and analyze different perspectives.
Debate Challenge: Based on the topics selected by students, prepare prompts for students to debate to further engage with the different perspectives covered in the news stories. This gives students an opportunity to think critically about different sides of an issue and broaden their views.
Research Topic Challenge: Students engage in a research topic selection game with challenge cards, competing against time to select criteria and relevant sources. This adds excitement and urgency to the activity while reinforcing key research skills.
Team Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Team Teaching strategy. In this model, both teachers deliver instruction together, often alternating or integrating their teaching styles seamlessly, sometimes referred to as “tag team teaching.” This collaborative approach provides students with multiple perspectives and teaching styles, enriching their learning experience. By modeling effective teamwork and communication, this approach demonstrates how different viewpoints can enhance understanding and create a dynamic and interactive classroom environment. Evidence indicates that team teaching can enhance student engagement and provide a richer, more diverse educational experience.
Introduction of Key Terms and Explanation of Activity: Teachers A and B take turns introducing key terms and definitions. Each teacher is responsible for specific terms, providing unique examples or explanations to reinforce understanding. Teacher A divides the class into groups and distributes a set of cards to each group. Teacher B provides a general explanation of the game and its goal.
Modeling the Activity: Teachers A and B take turns modeling different news stories that present different perspectives or are biased, and guide a class discussion on this. They then collaboratively analyze two or three articles, demonstrating how to identify bias and perspective and distinguish between fact and opinion.
Evaluation of News Sources and Perspectives: Teacher A asks students to share different current events and invites them to reflect on the various reasons these stories are newsworthy. Teacher B leads the class in creating a broad list of news sources, including traditional, digital, local, and international outlets. Both teachers then facilitate a discussion on how perspective and bias play a role in the way headlines and stories are written.
Group Discussion: Teacher A assigns students to groups of three or four and guides them to reflect on and discuss questions. Teacher B reassembles the class and asks students to share their findings.
Research Task: Teacher A explains that each small group will pick a current events topic to research and report on from at least two different perspectives. Both teachers circulate the room, supporting students as needed. Teacher B clarifies that this task includes both in-class research time and a future presentation.
Summary and Closure: Teacher A summarizes the activity, reinforces key terms and concepts, and highlights how these skills will benefit students in future research projects. Teacher B provides additional examples to reinforce key points and offers encouragement and praise for student participation. Both teachers collaboratively lead a reflection on how the skills practiced will help in future research projects and encourage students to apply these concepts to their personal experiences with news and social media.
Selecting and Refining Research Topics

Activity

2:

Analyzing Different Perspectives

By the end of the activity, students will be able to dissect a news article using a 5Ws and 1H graphic organizer, evaluate varying perspectives, and apply these skills to select and refine their own research topics.

>40

Minutes

Materials

News sources to model expectations and provide context (e.g., video interviews, news articles, and relevant images)
Two informative new stories from different perspectives on the same topic
Whiteboard and display
Writing utensils

Resources

5Ws and 1H graphic organizer (one per student)
Question Pyramid instructional strategy and graphic organizer (two per student and one for teacher display)
Prepare for the Activity: Select two informative new stories from different perspectives on the same topic.
1
Tell students that during today’s activity, they will complete question pyramids for two news stories that showcase different perspectives on the same issue. Also explain that they will use this strategy to select and refine their own research topics.
2
Explain that news stories typically start with the 5Ws and 1H (who, what, when, where, why, and how). This approach captivates readers’ attention and ensures that they get a sense of key details right away. Highlight how these questions can also help in selecting and narrowing down research topics.
3
Provide each student with a 5Ws and 1H graphic organizer to use for note-taking.
4
Display a blank 5Ws and 1H graphic organizer and use an article to model activity expectations. Then display the two texts that students will work with. Show how the Question Pyramid instructional strategy can be used to refine a broad topic into a specific research question.
5
Provide context on the texts and preview the varying perspectives on the chosen topic. Consider showing video interviews, images, and/or primary and secondary sources to build students’ background knowledge. Discuss how exploring various perspectives can help in identifying interesting research angles.
6
Divide the class into two groups, Group A and Group B, and then assign each group a different article to analyze.
7
Distribute two Question Pyramid graphic organizers to each student and their assigned news articles. The additional blank organizer is for students to use with their own research topics.
8
Encourage students to evaluate how perspectives, biases, facts, and opinions are intertwined throughout the texts. Discuss and define these terms and provide examples if necessary. Explain how understanding these elements can guide topic selection and refinement.
9
Allow students time to work on their article analysis independently while completing their graphic organizers. Then have them use the same process to brainstorm and refine potential research questions within their assigned broad topic.
10
Form pairs with Group A students and Group B students so that they can exchange ideas and analyze topics from two different perspectives. Have them also share and provide feedback on each other’s potential research topics.
11
Gather students for a final class discussion to reflect on the activity. Encourage them to share any insights or challenges they encountered while creating their question pyramids, and discuss the value of analyzing different perspectives and answering key questions to guide their research process. Have students present their refined research topics and explain their refinement process.
12
Reiterate the importance of evaluating different sources and perspectives, emphasizing how acknowledging each point of view contributes to well-rounded research. Discuss how this skill applies to other subjects and real-life situations. Conclude by highlighting how the Question Pyramid can be used for future topic selection and refinement in various contexts.
Whole-Group Discussion: Consider having Group A and Group B present their different article angles in a whole-class setting. This provides teachers the opportunity to facilitate class discussion, assess students’ comprehension, and keep the conversation focused. This benefits student learning as it fosters critical thinking, promotes collaboration, and broadens students’ perspectives.
Extended Reading: Encourage students to read the Britannica School Hard News article to continue to evaluate the different sources and perspectives they might integrate as they research different topics. Hard news is often connected with neutral reporting, which offers students reliable sources of information to analyze. This benefits student learning as it promotes autonomous research and reading skills.
Summarization and Synthesis: Instead of using the Question Pyramid graphic organizer, encourage students to use the Summarization Note-Taking graphic organizer to identify the main ideas found in the texts. This graphic organizer will serve as a discussion guide for when students exchange ideas based on their assigned angles.
Team Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Team Teaching strategy. In this model, both teachers deliver instruction together, often alternating or integrating their teaching styles seamlessly, sometimes referred to as “tag team teaching.” This collaborative approach provides students with multiple perspectives and teaching styles, enriching their learning experience. By modeling effective teamwork and communication, this approach demonstrates how different viewpoints can enhance understanding and create a dynamic and interactive classroom environment. Evidence indicates that team teaching can enhance student engagement and provide a richer, more diverse educational experience.
Activity Introduction: One teacher presents the texts while the other distributes copies, ensuring all students have access to the information. Teacher A explains the activity objective of selecting and refining research topics, while Teacher B introduces the news articles as examples.
Question Pyramid Introduction: One teacher explains the concept of open-ended and closed-ended questions, while the other provides examples and clarifies any student queries. Teacher A then leads a brief class discussion on the value of different question types in research, as Teacher B records key points on the board. Teacher A emphasizes how these questions can help in topic selection and refinement.
Sample Question Pyramid: Teachers alternate in guiding students through the sample topic, with one teacher asking for student input and the other recording responses on the displayed pyramid. Teacher A challenges students to generate more complex questions, while Teacher B helps refine and categorize the questions within the pyramid structure.
Individual Question Pyramid Creation: Teachers move throughout the classroom, offering individualized support and answering questions as students complete their own pyramids. Teacher A focuses on helping students who are struggling to generate questions, while Teacher B assists those who need help categorizing their questions within the pyramid. Both teachers guide students in applying the Question Pyramid strategy to their assigned broad topic areas.
Exchange of Ideas and Analysis: One teacher manages the pairing process, while the other prepares for the sharing phase. Teacher A guides students in reflecting on their question pyramids to refine their topic selections, while Teacher B helps students formulate clear rationales for their chosen research questions.
Final Class Discussion: Both teachers collaboratively lead the reflection, with one focusing on drawing out student insights and the other emphasizing key learning points about the research process. Both teachers jointly emphasize how the Question Pyramid strategy can be used for future topic selection and refinement in various contexts.
Selecting and Refining Research Topics

Activity

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Selecting and Refining Research Topics

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Selecting and Refining Research Topics

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