Student research projects fail as a reading development technique if students have not mastered the skills necessary to complete the project or if the project's purpose is not clearly defined. When presented effectively, however, these projects provide a highly motivating and meaningful context for using reading skills. Viewed as a method of developing information skills, project work falls into six distinct stages: (1) defining subject and purpose, (2) locating information, (3) selecting information, (4) organizing information, (5) evaluating information, and (6) communicating results. Students doing project work must follow four steps: determining goals or aims, making plans to achieve these goals, carrying out the plans, evaluating the success of the project, and using this evaluation to review plans and goals for next time. Project work is more effective if schools, as well as teachers, develop a policy for using student projects within the curriculum. (MM)