Research
Don't let research projects frustrate you. Break it down into manageable steps and you will be done before you know it!
The Big 6
1. Task Definition
What do I need to do? What is the problem? What information do I need to solve the problem? Choosing a topic to research. Brainstorming guiding questions. 3. Location and Access Where can I find what I need? Where do I go to get the sources? Which part(s) of the book, video, etc. are helpful? Finding helpful books. Searching the internet. K-W-W-L 5. Synthesis What can I make to finish the job? How will I put together my information? How will I present my information? Making the decision. Creating report, art, etc. Presenting to others. |
The Big 6 is a six-stage Information and technology literacy model designed to teach the research process. It was created by Mike Eisenberg and Robert Berkowitz. This process can be applied to personal as well as educational goals. It can be used to enhance problem solving and decision making skills as well as how to find credible sources of information and effective use.
2. Information Seeking Strategies What can I use to find what I need? What are all the possible ways to get answers? What are the best sources for me? Brainstorming all sources possible. K-W-H-L Eliminating difficult sources, choosing the best. 4. Use of Information What information can I use? Do I need to read/listen/view the entire source? How will I keep track of my information? Skimming/Scanning Taking notes on a graphic organizer. Avoiding plagiarism. 6. Evaluation How will I know if I did my job well? Did I do a good job? What would I do differently next time? Filling out rubric. Discussing how the project went. |
You can also use:
Things To Think About:
1. Evaluating resources
When you search the Web, you’re going to find a lot of information . . . but is it accurate and reliable? You will have to determine this for yourself, and the CRAAP Test can help. The CRAAP Test is a list of questions you can ask yourself in order to determine if the information on a web site is reliable.
Please keep in mind that the following list of questions is not the only thing to take into consideration. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your situation or need.
So, what are you waiting for? Is your web site credible and useful, or is it a bunch of . . . !
When you search the Web, you’re going to find a lot of information . . . but is it accurate and reliable? You will have to determine this for yourself, and the CRAAP Test can help. The CRAAP Test is a list of questions you can ask yourself in order to determine if the information on a web site is reliable.
Please keep in mind that the following list of questions is not the only thing to take into consideration. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your situation or need.
So, what are you waiting for? Is your web site credible and useful, or is it a bunch of . . . !
2. Keyword Search
Develop a List of Keywords. One way to focus your research is to develop a list of keywords. Keywords can be ideas, people and events that relate to the big picture of your search.
You can use keywords
Boolean Operators:
You can also use the words, AND, OR and NOT to help with your searches, especially in databases and search engines. They work the same way as they do when you use them in conversation:
AND - includes all of the words: dogs and puppies- this will give results with information on both dogs and cats
OR - includes one of the other: dogs or cats - will give information on either dogs OR puppies
NOT - will provide information on only the first term, not the second. dogs NOT puppies
3. Citing Sources
plagiarism
pla·gia·rism [pley-juh-riz-uhm, -jee-uh-riz-]
noun1.an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author's work as one's own, as by not crediting the original author: It is said that he plagiarized Thoreau's plagiarism of a line written by Montaigne. Synonyms:appropriation, infringement, piracy, counterfeiting; theft,borrowing, cribbing, passing off.
2.a piece of writing or other work reflecting such unauthorized use or imitation: “These two manuscripts are clearly plagiarisms,” the editor said, tossing them angrily on the floor.
Works Cited Page - a page that list all of the resources you USED in your research product; found at the end of a document.
InText or Parenthetical Citation: Citing the source of the information within the text of the research paper/product. This lets your teacher know exactly what information came from what source.
example: http://www.aresearchguide.com/sampleparenth.html
Generally, you want to provide the last name of the author and the specific page numbers of the source. If such information is already given in the body of the sentence, then exclude it from the parenthetical citation.
Annotated Bibliography:
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
You should answer these three questions:
1. Why is this source credible? (what authority does it have?)
2. What is the source about? (how is it relevant?)
3. How will I use the information?
Use Easybib to help cite your papers!
4. Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is putting the ideas of an author into your own words. Paraphrasing helps the quality of your paper by explaining another person’s thoughts in your own writing style, improving the flow and readability.
Tips for effective paraphrasing:
Although the okapi resembles a zebra, it is actually a close cousin to the giraffe. Discovered in 1900, it inhabits the rainforests of the Congo area in Africa. Okapis tend to be solitary animals, secretive in their habits." Think aloud as you look away from the text and paraphrase these sentences.
For example, you might say, "Okay, I have read this; now I need to think about it and put it into my own words. That'll help me know that I have understood it, and it will help me remember it. Let's see, the okapi looks like a zebra, but it is kin to the giraffe. They found it in Africa in 1900, but that was hard because it lives alone and is hard to find. Now, let's check and see if I remembered the information and put it into my own words." Reread the sentences and compare them to your own paraphrase.
5. Databases vs. Websites
User-generated content is information that was not written by experts, professionals or journalists. User-generated content is not always terrible, but you shouldn't trust the information with out investigating it further, and you probably shouldn't use it in your research paper.
Much of the Invisible Web is "invisible" because you need an account or a password to access it. It can also be because the information is contained in a database or a directory. The Invisible Web is not a top secret portal to a faster version of the Internet, but rather a huge part of the Internet that you can not easily access
Why Should You Use Databases? There are many reasons why you should use databases for research. Here are three big ones:
Develop a List of Keywords. One way to focus your research is to develop a list of keywords. Keywords can be ideas, people and events that relate to the big picture of your search.
You can use keywords
- When using search engines (results are partially ranked by keyword)
- With database searches
- Paired with Boolean operators to improve your results
Boolean Operators:
You can also use the words, AND, OR and NOT to help with your searches, especially in databases and search engines. They work the same way as they do when you use them in conversation:
AND - includes all of the words: dogs and puppies- this will give results with information on both dogs and cats
OR - includes one of the other: dogs or cats - will give information on either dogs OR puppies
NOT - will provide information on only the first term, not the second. dogs NOT puppies
3. Citing Sources
plagiarism
pla·gia·rism [pley-juh-riz-uhm, -jee-uh-riz-]
noun1.an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author's work as one's own, as by not crediting the original author: It is said that he plagiarized Thoreau's plagiarism of a line written by Montaigne. Synonyms:appropriation, infringement, piracy, counterfeiting; theft,borrowing, cribbing, passing off.
2.a piece of writing or other work reflecting such unauthorized use or imitation: “These two manuscripts are clearly plagiarisms,” the editor said, tossing them angrily on the floor.
Works Cited Page - a page that list all of the resources you USED in your research product; found at the end of a document.
InText or Parenthetical Citation: Citing the source of the information within the text of the research paper/product. This lets your teacher know exactly what information came from what source.
example: http://www.aresearchguide.com/sampleparenth.html
Generally, you want to provide the last name of the author and the specific page numbers of the source. If such information is already given in the body of the sentence, then exclude it from the parenthetical citation.
Annotated Bibliography:
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
You should answer these three questions:
1. Why is this source credible? (what authority does it have?)
2. What is the source about? (how is it relevant?)
3. How will I use the information?
Use Easybib to help cite your papers!
4. Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is putting the ideas of an author into your own words. Paraphrasing helps the quality of your paper by explaining another person’s thoughts in your own writing style, improving the flow and readability.
Tips for effective paraphrasing:
- The statement must be in your own words.
- If you use any phrases that are in the original quote, place them in quotation marks.
- Add a citation—even if a paraphrase is in your own words, it is still someone else’s idea.
- If you’re having difficulty paraphrasing, make a short list of the quote’s main idea(s) and words that relate to it. Incorporate these concepts and words in your paraphrase.
Although the okapi resembles a zebra, it is actually a close cousin to the giraffe. Discovered in 1900, it inhabits the rainforests of the Congo area in Africa. Okapis tend to be solitary animals, secretive in their habits." Think aloud as you look away from the text and paraphrase these sentences.
For example, you might say, "Okay, I have read this; now I need to think about it and put it into my own words. That'll help me know that I have understood it, and it will help me remember it. Let's see, the okapi looks like a zebra, but it is kin to the giraffe. They found it in Africa in 1900, but that was hard because it lives alone and is hard to find. Now, let's check and see if I remembered the information and put it into my own words." Reread the sentences and compare them to your own paraphrase.
5. Databases vs. Websites
User-generated content is information that was not written by experts, professionals or journalists. User-generated content is not always terrible, but you shouldn't trust the information with out investigating it further, and you probably shouldn't use it in your research paper.
Much of the Invisible Web is "invisible" because you need an account or a password to access it. It can also be because the information is contained in a database or a directory. The Invisible Web is not a top secret portal to a faster version of the Internet, but rather a huge part of the Internet that you can not easily access
Why Should You Use Databases? There are many reasons why you should use databases for research. Here are three big ones:
- Items found in databases are written by experts or professional writers
- Databases search fewer items than search engines, making your research more manageable
- It has a librarian's approval as a useful resource!
searching_evaluating_resources.pdf | |
File Size: | 91 kb |
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Don't forget NCWiseowl! |
NCwiseowl is a tool provided by North Carolina for all of the students in NC. WiseOwl’s subscription databases provide access to articles from thousands of magazines, from online encyclopedias and reference sources, and from a variety of other sources that are only available to paying customers.
Because this is a resource for the students of North Carolina and only for the students of North Carolina it is password protected. Please see Mrs. Price or anyone in the media center for the password to access the site!
Remember, you must be a wiseowl15 to use NCwiseowl! :)
Because this is a resource for the students of North Carolina and only for the students of North Carolina it is password protected. Please see Mrs. Price or anyone in the media center for the password to access the site!
Remember, you must be a wiseowl15 to use NCwiseowl! :)