IIM Demo: From IIM Books and Resources
Below, we've included an example of the materials for each of the steps within the IIM model.
 topic
 goal setting
 research
 organizing
 goal evaluation
 product
 presentation
You'll need Adobe Acrobat to view any of the examples below.
Topic
Here we go! Topic choice! The students' first stumbling block! Whether students have an "Oh, boy!" or an "Oh, no!" attitude, your guidance at the start is critical.
Making sure their research study is neither too broad nor too narrow is a challenge for your students, even when you have assigned the topic. They need to check out what they already know about the topic and look for a spark of personal interest to sustain them through the assignment.
And they need to know what the time frame for the assignment is – time management is a challenge for everyone!
Have your students:
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Goal Setting
Gear up! This step is a tough one for both you and the students because They don't think it is necessary! However, Goal Setting is one key to success in the research process.
Before students grab the encyclopedia or charge off to the Internet in search of information, they must have a clear idea of what they are looking for. The goal setting process gets all the "stuff" of research in place before the search begins.
This includes asking good questions related to their topics. Being playful with questioning strategies gets them out of the proverbial “box."
Have your students:
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Research
What's new? They've checked out what they already know. (You didn't want them to hand that in again, did you?) They have a clear picture about what they want to find out. (Just what you planned!) Now your students are underway.
The research step of any research process is where students finally begin to find NEW information. Once they find it (and press PRINT on the computer), do they know what to do with it? Too many students are expected to complete an assignment without training in the skills of gathering information without plagiarizing.
Have your students:
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Organizing
Ooooh! Soooo much information! Now what? Probably the next biggest pit fall for researchers of all ages! What the dickens do they do with all this information?
All too often students don't' know what to do with all the information they have gathered. Overwhelmed by the volume of amassed facts, they typically write their reports sequencing information source by source, rather than integrating what they have learned from all their sources and then writing an original piece.
Have your students:
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Goal Evaluation
How'd I do? What'd I get? All students deserve to know how well they are doing. Make it their responsibility to check on themselves so you don't end up the bad guy.
Students need to check back on the goals set at the beginning of the study to see if their research process has been satisfactory. Examining their organized information will tell them if they must do more research.
Have your students:
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Product
It's so tough to cheat when you are expected to be creative! Of course research papers are important. But don't forget to tap into other modes of communication! Lots of talent goes undiscovered when report writing is the only outcome of a research study.
Too often the dreaded research paper becomes the reason students groan at the thought of a research assignment. Good writing skills should be valued and nurtured. They will be tested on many required state tests. However, there are many ways to share what the student has learned that go beyond a factual report. Teachers want students to be information producers, not just information consumers, so product requirements need to be creative to enable student creativity.
Have your students:
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Presentation
"I suppose you're all wondering why I've gathered you here tonight!" No one in grades K-12 should be reading their research reports to the class! Those go to you for appropriate evaluation and grading. A real audience should hear from the new expert.
All too often teachers add to the frustration of the research process by having the outcome be a report reading session, tiring and uninformative for both the students and the teacher. Students need to learn how to present to different types of audiences and in different settings. A presentation to the School Board requires a different format than a display table at a product fair. Presentation skills need to be practiced.
Have your students:
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