Research+Tips

= Research Tips! =

= = = Who likes doing research? Probably not many of you. But who needs research skills? Absolutely every single one of you. Don't believe me? Well, do you plan to buy a car? A house? Invest in your retirement some day? How about apply to college? To make intelligent choices that are good for you, you need to inform yourself of your options, you need to make informed decisions. And the quest for information //is// research, plain and simple. = = = = __Now, some hard-to-accept facts about research__: = =  1. It takes patience and perseverance : the more complicated your inquiry is, the longer it will take to find enough information to form an intelligent opinion. = = 2. It requires a lot of reading, a lot of listening, a lot of watching, and a ton of thinking! While you take in information, you should be asking questions and making connections between the different bits of information -- SYNTHESIZE! = = 3. Good research requires you to use a variety of sources and source types. Certainly the web has a lot of available information, but sometimes it is difficult to find. You can search the web for car information or you can go directly to the //Consumer Reports// new car edition in your library. You can read many different sites on the origins of modern day surgery or you can read the non-fiction book //Knife Man// by Wendy Moore. = = 4. You must be selective about your sources: Not all sources are credible! Just because the source gives you information, doesn't mean the information is accurate or credible -- don't research from a position of desperation! Credible sources are available, you just have to find them. = = = =__Top Ten Tips! __= = 1. Begin your research with specific questions you want to answer. In other words, What do you want to know? Reading randomly can be a waste of time. = = 2. However, if you have no definite direction, then you want to read generally as much as possible on your topic so you can begin to form opinions on your topic. = = 3. Allow your opinion to grow -- change, shift, alter -- as you research. Because you knew very little about your topic before you began researching, how can you expect your intial opinion to be accurate? Let your thoughts evolve. = = 4. Be flexible when choosing keywords for your search! Consider all the words associated with your topic, not just the topic itself. Example: Searching for information on aliens might lead you to illegal immigrant information. So try "extraterrestrials" or "UFOs" or "visitors from space" or "crop circles." = = 5. Use your research to further your research. As you read, record new terms you might plug into a search; record names of people and organizations, key events, historical moments you might research separately. For example, your alien research might lead you to the organization SETI. Don't you want to know more about this organization? Do they have a website? are the legitimate? = = 6. Expand the scope of what you are researching. For example, you might begin searching for information on the environmental impact of pesticides, but realize you need to know about your local habitat as well -- what types of reptiles and amphibians will be found in local lakes? When you research, you may need to conduct multiple "searches" in order to develop your argument. Another example: researching the effects of football on the teenage body might require you to read an anatomy book on the brain or on ligaments; it might require you to read a medical document on dehydration or concussions. = = 7. Use the index and the table of contents in books to locate information. It is amazing how quickly we forget that most books have all of their information itemized for us with page references. Apply tip #4 to using the index and the table of contents as well. = = 8. Search familiar, multi-topic sites first for your information. The more you research, the more you use the web, the more you come to rely on particular credible websites that contain lots of information on lots of topics. Bookmark these sites as you come across them on a social bookmarking site like Delicious or Diggs. See below for some of my favorites. = === 9. Conduct your own interviews, surveys, experiments! Use an online tool such as Survey Monkey, use your iPod with a microphone, use your smart phone, use your vast online social network to make connections and find out information that will further your argument. Work with a science teacher to create an experiment. In other words, be the source of your own evidence as so many good investigative researchers are! === = 10. Maintain your list of sources! There is nothing worse than realizing you haven't cited your sources and you don't have your citation information -- because now you've just plagiarized! Welcome to the land of expulsion (in college, at least). = = = = Evaluating Online Resources: = = Below, you will find several different youtube videos that will help you evaluate online resources for credibility and usefullness with your argument papers. = =media type="custom" key="10924384"media type="custom" key="10924882" align="right"=

media type="custom" key="10924914" = = = = = Avoiding Plagiarism: = = = = [|List of Plagiarism Types] Discover the various forms of plagiarism on this excellent website devoted to the topic: plagiarism.org = = =

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[|MLA format guidelines] This is OWL, the Purdue University online writing center. This particular tab gives you all the information you need to use the proper MLA citation format. For other information on plagiarism and MLA citation, consult the video tutorials down below. ===== =media type="custom" key="10924506"=

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= Online Tools: = = [|Bibiography Generator] You plug in the information, the tool produces the citation. Add a summary of the information you found in the source, and you've got your annotated bibliography. Make sure they're in alphabetical order! = = [|Plagiarism Checker] You upload your paper, run it through their search database and they tell you if you've plagiarized in any parts of your paper. Can also be used to run a more comprehensive grammar and spell check than Microsoft Word offers. = = [|Dictionary and Thesaurus in one] You plug in the word and receive a definition, part of speech, example sentence and even a visual image. Or look for synonyms and antonyms. = = [|Free Photoshop Site] Use this site to crop, augment, format, manipulate visual images before inserting them into your text. = = [|Collaborative Papers, Presentations and Projects] Use Google Docs when peer collaboration is a necessity, whether it with writing a paper, developing a powerpoint presentation or working on a project. This site allows you to write from any internet-connected computer in real time with multiple partners. = = = = Favorite Multi-Topic Websites for Research and Fun: = = [|PBS] Not just for children! This site gives you access to a wide variety of programs and articles including //Nova, Frontline,// and //American Experience//. Find information on nature, science, society, history, current events, business, music, theater, television, movies, psychology, and cultures from around the world. Watch documentaries, episode-length programs, interviews and debates; listen to radio broadcasts, dramatic readings and music; read articles, essays and more. = = = = [|National Public Radio] Listen to a broad range programs, including news shows, culture commentary, visual and performing arts reviews, political and social discussions, interviews, business updates, music and other entertainment broadcasts. Archives give you access to a few years of programs on thousands of topics. = = = = [|Boston PBS] Public Broadcasting but with a particular focus on the Boston and New England areas. Access to both their television and radio programming. = = = = [|Green Radio] A radio program dedicated to environmental topics covering a wide range of specific issues and ideas. = = = = [|History Channel] Access to credible information on hundreds of history topics, including visual and written texts. = = = = [|Interesting and Provocative Speeches] Ted.com hosts a wide variety of speakers who speak on an equally wide variety of topics. Many speakers are experts in their fields, many are well-known personalities, many are unique individuals committed to engaging the conversation. = = = =Have Some Tools and Websites to Share? Click on the discussion tab up above and leave the web address and a brief overview of the site's function and its benefits. = = = = = = = = =