Big Six Research Skills

The Big Six Skills for information literacy is a set of skills which provide students with a problem solving strategy they can apply at all grade levels and across all curriculum content areas. It is an approach that accommodates differences in teaching and learning styles.

Big Six Skills is an ideal approach to information problem solving which can be adapted to existing K - 12 New York State and library curriculum standards in this document. Our students will leave equipped with the skills necessary to efficiently and effectively meet their information needs in school, work and personal lives.

The Big Six Skills for Information Literacy

1.  Task Definition: 

1.1 Define the problem
1.2 Identify the information needed.

2.  Information seeking strategies:
2.1 Brainstorm all possible sources.
2.2 Select the best source.

3.  Location and Access:
3.1 Locate sources.
3.2 Find information within sources.

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

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

6.  Evaluation: 

6.1 Judge the result (effectiveness).
6.2 Judge the process (efficiency)