FCAT Cluster 4

Media Specialist:Leslie Starr

Developed: 12/08

What is Reference & Research?

1. Understanding Reference and Research Benchmarks

2. Reference/Research – Locating and Interpreting Information

3. Reference/Research – Analyzing Multiple Sources

4. Validity and Reliability

5. Fact vs. Opinion

What is Reference & Research Continued…

6. Primary vs. Secondary Sources

7. Reference and Research on the FCAT- Components of the Test: multiple choice (MC) short written response (SR) extended written response (ER)

- Sample Reference and Questions- Test Taking Strategies

Benchmark Clusters

• Reading & Language Arts:– A.2.3.5/LA.A.2.3.5 organization,

interpretation, & synthesis of information– LA.A.2.3.6 use a variety of reference

materials to gather information– LA.A.2.3.7 synthesis and separates collected

information into useful components– A.2.3.8/LA.A.2.3.8 validity and accuracy of

information

Understanding Reference & Research Benchmarks

Elementary SchoolElementary School- Students locate, gather and use materials for research projects. ** Many of our students are here!

Middle SchoolMiddle School- Students interact with a wide variety of reference materials (maps, charts, encyclopedias, magazines, textbooks, etc.)- Students understand; fact vs. opinion vs. personal values, primary vs. secondary sources, provide supporting evidence when formulating a response to a writing prompt.

Key Vocabulary• ValidityValidity – The degree that information that is correct,

factual and sound.• ReliabilityReliability – The degree that information that can be

researched or is from a source whose credentials are trustworthy.

• FactFact - A statement that can be proven to be either true or false.

• OpinionOpinion – A statement that expresses beliefs, feelings, and judgments.

• Primary SourcePrimary Source – First hand or original information that comes from a reliable source.

• Secondary SourceSecondary Source –Information that has been gathered and interpreted by more than one source.

Example Question

• Determine between a strong & weak arguments– Which of the following quotes from

the article support the idea that the Antarctic seas were far more dangerous than anyone could have expected?

Example 2 & 3

• Choose a statement that provides the best evidence that an event was significant…

• Which fact from the article provides the best evidence that the discovery of Watson Brake was significant?

Example 4 & 5

• Check validity of information:– Which sentence from the article offers the

best evidence that Nolan Ryan was a skillful pitcher?

• Determine a statement that provides evidence of the author’s point of view.– Why do the researchers conclude that

their encounter was “the most rewarding”?

Examples…

• Other key R & R skills to be tested– Answer a question based on map

reading skills– Identify the least accurate statement– Locate & synthesize indirectly stated

information within the text– Draw conclusions/inferences– Locate & interpret information

Relationship to RPMResearch Process Model

• Students will…– Understand how fact & opinion influence a text– Understand how arguments are developed in a text– Understand how the author’s viewpoint influences the

context of a text– Choose the best evidence from the text for a particular

assertion– Choose which type of support the author uses for a

particular argument– Determine how information from the text might be

accurately applied to a new situation– Discuss in a short-response format the quality of both the

author’s argument and the support provided

Essential QuestionsTo Be

Asked/Answered• How can we determine if information is

valid and reliable?• How can we determine if information is

fact or opinion?• How can we identify information as a

primary or secondary source?• How can we prepare for

Reference/Research FCAT questions?

Reference and Research: Locating & Interpreting Information

Students must be able to:• locate and interpret different types of written

information (text material, indexes, glossaries, maps, charts, graphs, pictures, etc.)

• demonstrate an understanding of information gathered from a variety of sources (library, textbook, internet, atlas, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines)

• **moving them to higher levels of Blooms Taxonomy

Reference and Research: Locating & Interpreting Information

Students must be able to:• Interpret the information gathered for

a variety of purposes • class writing assignments • discussion and assessments • collaborative decision-making • standardized assessment i.e. FCAT

Reference and Research:Analyzing Multiple Sources

Students must be able to:• comprehend information contained in

multiple sources not just their textbook.• Push non-fiction for AR

• respond to higher-order questions based on information analysis • oral questioning • written assessments

Reference and Research:

Analyzing Multiple Sources

Students must be able to:• determine the reliability and validity

of information.

• distinguish between fact and opinion.

• Identify primary and secondary sources.

Validity and Reliability• These two Reference and Research

skills require:• the student to analyze the correctness

(validity) and source (reliability) of information.

• To do this, the student needs to determine if the information is:• fact or opinion• primary or secondary source

Fact vs. Opinion

• FactFact - A statement that can be proven to be either true or false using a valid source.

• A fact answers specific questions such as:What happened?Who did it?When and where did it happen?Why did it happen?

Fact vs. Opinion

• OpinionOpinion – A statement that expresses beliefs, feelings, and judgments.– Phrases begin with I believe, I think, probably, it

seems to me, or in my opinion.

- Statements often contain words such as might, could, should and ought.

- Judgment words such as good, bad, poor, and satisfactory indicate an opinion.

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

• Primary SourcePrimary Source: First hand or original information that comes from a reliable source. Examples include eyewitness accounts, personal interviews, autobiographies, letters, diaries, scientific journals.

• Secondary SourceSecondary Source: Information that has been gathered and interpreted by more than one source. Examples include textbooks, encyclopedias, magazine articles, biographies, movie reviews.

Components on the FCAT• Components of the Test:

– Multiple Choice (MC)- Short Written Response (SR)*- Extended Written Response (ER)*

* The short and extended response questions are referred to as Performance Tasks on the FCAT

• Sample Reference and Research Questions

• Test Taking Strategies

Components of the FCAT:Multiple Choice

• The majority of the test will be multiple choice questions.

• There will be four possible answers.– The four choices will be labeled

A,B, C, D or F, G,H, I.

• Each question is worth one point.

Components of the FCAT:Short Written Response (SR)

• Short response questions: - Are identified by the following “Read, Think,

Explain” symbol:

- Should take about five minutes to answer. - Require at least two pieces of detail/information

from the text to support the answer. - Can be awarded 0,1, or 2 points depending on

how complete and accurate the response is.

Components of the FCAT:

Extended Written Response (ER)• Extended Written Response Questions:

- Are identified by the following “Read, Think, Explain” symbol:

- Should take up to ten minutes to answer.- May require students to use more than one passage in

order to answer the question.- Require more than two pieces of detail/information

from the text to support the answer.- Can be awarded 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 points depending on

how complete and accurate the response is.

Test Taking Strategies: Multiple Choice

• ALWAYSALWAYS read the questions before you start reading the passage so you’ll know what to look for.

• If you think you know the answer, look to see if your answer is there.

• Eliminate answers you know are incorrect.• Try to find a clue in the questions that will lead you to the

correct answer.• If the question is too complicated, skip it and come back to it

later.• ALWAYSALWAYS answer every question. There is no penalty for

guessing. You have a one in four chance of getting it correct! • Choose 1 letter & stick with it for the whole test if you have

NONO idea of the answer use that letter

Test Taking Strategies:

Short & Extended Written Response

• ALWAYS read the questions before you start reading the passage.

• Answer the question only using details and information from the passage.

• You can paraphrase or use lines directly from the text to support your answer.

• Use complete sentences and write legibly within the space provided.

• Write something even if you aren’t sure if it is correct. You do not want to get a zero on a written response question.