WikiWomen Erasmus+/Schools toolkit/Research trip

Lesson 7: Research trip

At this point you may wish to organise a research visit to a local library or museum so that students can experience hands-on research beyond Google!

Consult our GLAM guide for more tips on working with local cultural institutions in your area.

For this lesson the GLAM trip will have been planned ahead of time so the information on access, collections etc. of the chosen GLAM site will have been outlined by the facilitator. Parts of this lesson presentation will need to be adapted to the specific institute(s) you will be visiting as part of your class trip.

Lesson Outcome

Prepare for hands-on research in a local GLAM (gallery, library, archive or museum)
Develop research skills by finding 3-5 reliable sources related to their chosen subject.
Lesson Duration: 40 minutes —
English PDF
Translatable PPTX

Introduction (10 minutes):

Welcome students and introduce the upcoming research trip to a local GLAM.
Discuss what the acronym GLAM stands for.
Discuss the purpose of hands-on research and its advantages over online sources.
Discuss the logistics of the research trip: date, time, transportation, and necessary materials (notebooks, pens, etc.).
Recap Prompt: Which sources can we use for Wikipedia articles?
Review the types of reliable sources which can be used for Wikipedia Articles and also the types of sources (primary/secondary/tertiary)

Planning the Research Trip (10 minutes):

Discuss: What steps should we take to prepare for the trip?
Outline the information to have before going to the chosen GLAM.
Best Practice Behaviour for:
- Handling GLAM Materials
- Research Conduct
- Guidelines for effective note-taking during the trip, focusing on key details and source information.

Hands-on Activity (15 minutes):

(10 minutes) In groups of 2-3 check the GLAM website to answer these questions.
What types of collections are held there? (newspapers, photographs, diaries, etc.)
Which sources there could help you to improve or add to your articles?
Do you need to order items in advance for the trip?
What facilities does the GLAM have? (computers for digitised collections, photocopying, printing etc.)
(5 minutes) Each group should take some questions and discuss them as a class group.

Conclusion (5 minutes):

Recap the importance of the research trip for their articles.
Point to the student workbook support materials for notes, questions for their GLAM trip etc.
Give opportunities for them to ask questions about the upcoming trip.

Homework Activity:

Homework Task: students conduct online research to identify potential sources related to their chosen subject.
Emphasise the importance of finding 3-5 reliable sources, including books, newspapers, journal articles, and other publications that may be available at the GLAM.

Lesson 7.5: The Research Trip

Visit a local GLAM for a planned research trip to allow students to engage directly with researching their topic. Consult the GLAM guide for engaging with local GLAMs. Homework Activity:

Following the Research Trip, students may fill out the research Trip Report template in their workbooks, evaluating how it went, if they found it beneficial for their article, etc.
Students should update their sandbox draft articles with any information they gathered during their research trip, this can be as simple as adding citations to information that was there already or by adding to the body of the article with more information. This should be completed before the next lesson.

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