Research Skills

ATL Skills Playbook

About the resource

Research skills are an integral and This playbook contains a set of activity Each card contains an activity idea
crucial component of IB Approaches cards, designed specifically to practice that enhances a specific strand
to Learning (ATL). The ability to and enhance students’ communication within the research skill cluster. It
critically evaluate and effectively use skills. These can be used as part of any also indicates a learner profile
credible information and media is class or course, and are not aligned to attribute that can potentially be
important for all lifelong learners. any one MYP subject. developed through the activity.

Disclaimer - This resource has been produced independently of and not endorsed by the IB. Toddle’s resources seek to encourage sharing of perspectives and innovative ideas for classroom teaching & learning. They are not

intended to be replacements for official IB guides and publications. Views and opinions expressed by the authors of these resources are personal and should not be construed as official guidance by the IB. Please seek assistance

from your school’s IB coordinator and/or refer to official IB documents before implementing ideas and strategies shared within these resources in your classroom.
Approaches to learning: Research

Information literacy skills

Finding, interpreting, judging and creating information

Overview

How can students demonstrate information literacy? Students should be able to:

Collect, record and verify data
Access information to be informed and inform others
Make connections between various sources of information
Understand the benefits and limitations of personal sensory
learning preferences when accessing, processing and
recalling information
Use memory techniques to develop long-term memory
Present information in a variety of formats and platform
Collect and analyse data to identify solutions and make
informed decisions
conventions
Process data and report results
Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools
based on their appropriateness to specific tasks
Understand and use technology systems
Use critical-literacy skills to analyse and interpret media
communications
Understand and implement intellectual property rights
Create references and citations, use footnotes/endnotes
and construct a bibliography according to recognised
Identify primary and secondary sources
Approaches to learning: Research
Media literacy skills
Interacting with media to use and create ideas and information
Overview
How can students demonstrate media literacy? Students should be able to:
Locate, organize, analyse, evaluate, synthesize and ethically
use information from a variety of sources and media
(including digital social media and online networks)
Demonstrate awareness of media interpretations of events
and ideas (including digital social media)
Make informed choices about personal viewing
experiences
Understand the impact of media representations and
modes of presentation
Seek a range of perspectives from multiple and varied
sources
Communicate information and ideas effectively 

to multiple audiences using a variety of media 

and formats
Compare, contrast and draw connections among
(multi)media resources
Roadmap: How to use this resource

Activity title
Feedback Cycle
ATL strand Give and receive meaningful feedback

Learner profile: Open-minded

These activities are intended for
Instructions 1 3
students and carry instructions on
each for how students can best
utilise them.
and may also be used during home
These cards can serve as a research
Learner
skills activity bank for engagement in
profile
class, applicable to most subjects,
attribute

room time.

2 Educators can print and hand 


these cards out to students 
 4 Additionally, educators can guide

when specifically working on students to reflect on the

communication skills and/or 
 development of the learner profile

the ATLs. Some of these cards also attribute indicated.

contain printable templates for

students.

How many
Group
students
Reporter’s notebook
Demonstrate awareness of media
interpretations of events and ideas
This routine will help you distinguish
facts from thoughts and judgments.
You’ll find it useful when discussing
imagined or real moral dilemmas or
topics — from history, literature,
science, or from actual events in
your own life.
Learner profile: Balanced
Step 1 Step 4
Identify a situation, story, or 
 After a discussion, make
dilemma for discussion. your best judgment of the
situation based on the
Step 2 information at hand.
Identify the facts and events of 

Step 5
the situation. As you name them,
think if these are clear facts, or if You can use this template 

you need more information 
 to jot down your notes, or
about them. create your own.
Step 3 Source: Project Zero Thinking Routine
Name the thoughts and feelings 

of the characters/individuals
involved in the situation. As you
name them, think if these are 

clear facts or if you need more
information about them.
Group
True for who?
Seek a range of perspectives from 

multiple and varied sources

Learner profile: Inquirer

The following thinking routine will help you to explore a range of perspectives. This activity
focuses on a ‘claim’ - this will help you to dig deeper into facts, statistics, and quotes.

Step 1: Discuss Step 2: Brainstorm Step 3: Choose a viewpoint Step 4: Stand back
What kind of situation was Make a list of all the Choose a viewpoint to embody and Step outside of the circle

Source: Project Zero Thinking Routine

the claim made in? Who different points of view 
 imagine the stance a person from of viewpoints and evaluate
made it? What were you could look at this 
 this viewpoint would be likely to what you think about the
people’s interests and claim from. You can use 
 take. Would he or she think the claim claim now.

goals? What was at stake?
this template as a guide. 
 is true? False? Uncertain? Why? Go
around in a circle and dramatically
speak from the viewpoint. Say:
My viewpoint is...
I think this claim is true/false/
uncertain because...
What would convince me to
change my mind is...

Group
Compare and contrast
venn diagram
Make connections between various 

sources of information

Learner profile: Thinker

Create a two or three circle venn Ask yourself:
diagram, when reviewing two or
Is information that appears in multiple
three sources. Use the venn diagram
circles more likely to be reliable? Is it
to sort out that information that
more likely to be relevant
appears in each source. Look for 

the information that is confirmed in Is there any information that contradicts
multiple sources.
another source? Why might this be?
You may like to use this template for Why might it be useful to find the same
this activity. information in more than one source?

Group
CRAAP Test
Collect, record and verify data
Use the CRAAP Test template to evaluate and verify the
information you use.
Currency: When was this information published?
academic expert…for example, if you are researching
C How current does the information need to be to
be useful, (for example, for a source about a
history event, an older document might be fine,
but for a source about current events, the source
should be new)
Relevance: Is the information relevant to my topic?
R It is useful to write research questions before
starting your research - this will help you only use
relevant information, instead of just summarising
the information you stumble upon.
Learner profile: Reflective
Authority: Who created the information? Are they an
A authority on the source?
This does not always mean that the author has to be an
video editing, then a popular youtuber might be more
useful than an out-of-date published book.
Accuracy: Can I check that the information is accurate?
A A good tip is to triangulate your data! Can you find 

the facts from an additional two sources?
Purpose: What is the author’s purpose?
P
Is the author there to persuade, entertain or
inform? Do they have a hidden agenda? Are
they trying to get you to do something, buy
something or say something?
Group
Audience switch
Communicate information and ideas effectively to

multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats

Learner profile: Communicator

Step 1

Brainstorm a list of the people who would

benefit from learning about your topic.

How would you change the way you

present the information to best suit the

Step 2 audience? Might you change the

language? Format? Style? Complexity?

Divide these into types of audience, (for

example, you might have everything ranging What are the benefits of creating

from ‘experts’, to ‘children’) something for a specific audience

instead of a broad audience?

Step 3

Pick three groups and decide how you would

share information about your topic with them.

You might consider a presentation, video,

infographic, podcast, website, essay, quiz,

story or any other format.

Group
Standing on the
shoulders of giants
Understand and implement 

intellectual property rights

Learner profile: Principled

Create a short presentation about your topic This is a great challenge to make sure you
using ONLY information from other people. are really using the information you have
researched and not relying on your own
This means any text should be a direct
opinions and assumptions. However, for a
quote. Any images, videos or music
summative piece of work, you would also
used should be made by others, and
want to add in your own interpretations
should be free to use.
and summarise the information.
Make sure you cite all sources.
Can you gather enough information from
credible sources to explain your topic
without using your own words?

Individual
Museum memo
Present information in a variety
of formats and platforms
Imagine you have an artefact
connected to your topic, for example
a painting or object. Now imagine you
are displaying this in a public gallery
or museum. You need to a create a
label for the artefact for each of the
following three types of museum
visitors:
Learner profile: Knowledgeable
The dasher
A person who is rushing through the museum/gallery. They need a
label that will attract their attention and will be quick to read. Stick
to the key facts and consider adding images or typography to draw
their attention to your label and artefact!
The parent guide
A person who is walking around the museum/gallery with their
child. They will spend a little longer looking at the label, but will
need to be able to easily share the information with their child.
Keep it simple and use words that are easy to understand.
The connoisseur
A person who is spending a relaxing day at the museum/
gallery and will take their time to read the label. Here you can
dive deeper and give them more information.
Individual
Sketchnote
Use memory techniques to 

develop long-term memory

Learner profile: Reflective

When watching a video or presentation, try not
to write down every word you hear. Instead, just
take note of key words and phrases. Add visual
notes, including doodles, arrows and labels to
highlight key words and other important
information.

Often people will try to write down everything

they hear, but doing this activity will help you to
only note things that are relevant and important.

The act of note taking, in any format, is an

important technique for remembering key
Start 

information.
sketching
here!

Individual
Gift of the Graph
Process data and report results

Learner profile: Communiactor

Step 1

Gather numerical data and present it in as many

different graphs as you can. Ask yourself Bonus

Which graph is most useful? You might choose to present

different pieces of the information

Which one is easiest for others to understand?
with different graphs. Consider

Are any of the graphs misleading? putting these together to create

an infographic!

Step 2

Pick the graph you think is most useful for showing

your data and explain why.

Individual
So What?
Access information to be informed

and inform others

Learner profile: Risk-taker

You can consider the following formats:

Step 1

‘Source’ said “Quote”

To answer the debatable question(s)

for your unit, gather as many key This is important because…

quotes, facts and statistics as you can.

Step 2 “Quote” by ‘Source’

This quote supports my idea, because…

Provide the quote, the source, and

then explain why it matters!

According to ‘Source’, “FACT”

This backs up my point that….

Individual
About the author

Lenny Dutton is the MYP Coordinator at the International

School of Stuttgart, Germany. She has worked in the UK,

America and Germany, as an ATL Coordinator, Personal

Project Coordinator, Librarian and MYP Design teacher. She

has published two MYP Design books and regularly shares

her work on excitededucator.com and social media as well.

@LennyDutton
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