Project Blaster

5. How do I select the right information?

...So I've gathered lots of information

...but how do I make sense of it for my project?

Evaluating
Selecting my information
Checking my information
Gathering more information

Putting it all together (Assembling)

My project

Choosing the best information
for your project

View transcript (PDF download - 290kb)

By now you will have a great variety of information. This stage will help you focus on the bits you need in order to create your project.

Use the class discussion to decide what information to leave out, and whether you need to gather any more.

The interactive lesson will help you decide which facts to trust.

Activities

  1. 1

    Class Discussion - Leave in, or take out?

    By now your class will have a great variety of information. What you need to do now is focus on the bits of information you need to create something of your own.

    Whether you are working individually or in groups, you need to discuss how best to use the information you have. You also need to to decide what to leave out, and whether you need to get your hands on any more information.

    If your class project is about animals, for example, and you want to focus on squrrels then you will want to leave out information about other animals unless they are important to the lives of squirrels. A discussion with the rest of your group could help you work out what is important, and what you can leave out.

  2. 2

    Class Discussion - Have I got the facts straight?

    You might also need to add to the information you have about squirrels if it is not enough, or if you want to check your facts. Same goes whatever topic you are studying, whether it is circuses or the life of a great mathematician.

    A good detective, scientist or historian always tries to check their facts. A musician or artist always checks to make sure they have the correct notation or materials. And a pupil who is going to write an amazing story or diagram about squirrels as part of a class project about local animals will want to make sure they have their squirrel facts straight.

    So if I have come across a website that claims a squirrel’s favourite food is pizza, how do I know that is correct? Can I trust this information?

    Have a class discussion and take guidance from your teacher. Perhaps you need to find another website or book that will confirm what squirrels really like to eat. Hint: it’s not pizza!

  3. 3

    How do we know which facts to trust?

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Different Stories

Point your mouse over each picture to get the full story.

1. Comparing different types of story

Mrs McKay and the Medal

Here are two different types of source that tell a story about war. One is a person, the other is an object. Mrs McKay lived through the second world war, and has a lot of personal memories about what she saw and heard. She can share these memories with you. The military medal, on the other hand, can’t speak for itself. But with a little investigation you should be able to identify what type of medal it is, who was awarded it and why.

  • Mrs McKay

    Mrs McKay's Story

    "Hello, I remember hearing the news on the radio that we were at war with Germany. That was Sunday 3 September, 1939. Me and my friends expected bombs to fall out of the sky right away. We were a bit frightened, but excited too."
  • The Medal

    The Medal

    Look at the markings on the medal and see if they tell you what type of medal it is. Look for books and websites about military medals and compare this one with the others that you see. Can you find out why this medal was awarded? Perhaps there is someone you know who can tell you.

1. Comparing different types of story

The New Medicine

They say there are two sides to every story, and usually many more than that. Let’s say you open up a newspaper and there is a story in it about a new medicine that doctors believe could save a lot of lives. If you go online, however, you can find other reports that say some doctors are worried the new medicine might not be effective, and could even be a waste of money. You need to read the different reports carefully and try to take account of the different points of view.

  •     computer

    What we found on the Internet

    Concerns have been raised about a new 'breakthrough' medicine, which some doctors say may not be effective. The critics also argue the new treatment is a waste of money, since there are already cheaper and more effective medicines available.
  •         newspaper

    What we found in the Newspaper

    A pioneering new medical treatment has been developed thanks to a breakthrough by a team of researchers. Doctors have welcomed the news, saying it has the potential to save many lives.

2. Comparing different versions

The old Donaldson factory

the FactoryA newspaper says that an old factory in my town was built by a famous Victorian architect but a website gives a different name, how can I check which one is right?

  • newspaper

    What we found in a Newspaper

    The Donaldson factory was built by William J Anderson and will be converted into new flats in the next year.
  • computer

    What we found on the Internet

    The Donaldson factory was designed by John Baird who liked to use a lot of windows for his buildings.

2. Comparing different versions

The old Donaldson factory

I want to know who the right architect who built the Donaldson factory was. How can I check?

I can contact the local historian in my town to see if they have any information and I can check another source like an encyclopaedia to see if it has information about the history of the factory.

  • wee man

    What the Historian Said

    "The Donaldson factory was built in 1887 by the architect William J Anderson but other designers helped with different parts of the factory."
  • factory

    We Went to the Old Factory

    Architect William J Anderson designed the Donaldson factory in 1887, and the extension was built by John Baird in 1892
  • encyclopedia

    What We Found in an Encyclopedia

    The Donaldson factory was designed by William J Anderson, the Dean of Architecture at the Glasgow School of Art in the 1890's. Some of the unusual buildings designed by Anderson and his other pupils are featured in the Victorian Commercial Architecture section of this volume.