Researching is something we do every day.  When we are looking for a theater and a time to view a movie, we are doing research.  When we look at a subway map for directions to get to that theater we are doing research.

Research at its most basic is simply a way to gain knowledge that is useful to us.  Research at its richest provides a way of experiencing the world and ourselves in a different way.

Research projects assigned by teachers are often designed to help us think in a creative manner.  We are given the task to investigate a particular person, a period of history, a form of literature, or a scientific discovery. We are asked to think about our research in terms of what we are learning in class and what we can add to the knowledge we already possess.

Teachers may have different requirements for their assignments.  Certainly, not all research is the same.  Some projects can be done in a week ; some take much longer. Some school research projects take the form of written papers, visual, or spoken presentations. Teachers are here to provide structure and guidance to students in many forms.  Not every teacher has the same style of teaching, nor does every student have the same style of learning. 

However, every successful research project should follow some elemental guidelines. 

At BFS research projects are designed to not only teach students how to systematically discover information, but also to encourage critical thinking and interpretation of information.

At BFS, the librarians teach and recommend a research system called the Big6. Individual teachers may use their own systems of research, and students should always follow their directions.