An important part of the study is the developing of a systematic way in which students collect data from a variety of sources. All students should keep a Student Journal which contains pages photocopied from masters or printed from the web, data collected, and organizational tools to help them analyze their data. Well-kept journals can be used during checks for understanding and as a vehicle for authentic assessment at the end of the study. Encourage students to add pages of their own to their journals as they learn more about the topic. All good scientists keep a journal.
Researchers seek answers to questions.
In the scientists' quest for those answers, they record what they read, what they hear, what they see, what they think might happen and what they find out. They continue to test and try new ideas. Good researchers add new information to their journals as new ideas emerge or solutions become clear.