Advanced Higher Advanced Higher HistoryHistory

Research SkillsResearch Skills

Research stepsResearch steps

Clearly define your selected topicClearly define your selected topic Identify appropriate keywords Identify appropriate keywords Identify suitable information sourcesIdentify suitable information sources Search sources to find relevant Search sources to find relevant

information information Evaluate information foundEvaluate information found Use the information ethically and Use the information ethically and

responsiblyresponsibly

Planning your searchPlanning your search

What is the scope of your subject?What is the scope of your subject? What do you already know?What do you already know? What do you need to find out?What do you need to find out? You may like to produce a mindmap You may like to produce a mindmap

to help you decide which areas you to help you decide which areas you are going to research.are going to research.

Choose relevant Choose relevant keywords keywords which you which you will use to search for informationwill use to search for information

Decide where you will begin to look Decide where you will begin to look for informationfor information

Choosing web sources for Choosing web sources for your topic your topic http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/litehttp://www.noodletools.com/debbie/lite

racies/information/5locate/adviceenginracies/information/5locate/adviceengine.htmle.html

Web sources subscribed to by Web sources subscribed to by East Ren :East Ren :

http://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/inhttp://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2153dex.aspx?articleid=2153

Librarians internet indexLibrarians internet indexhttp://http://www.lii.orgwww.lii.org//

Try the advanced search option in Try the advanced search option in GoogleGoogle

http://www.google.co.uk/http://www.google.co.uk/

Evaluate Information Evaluate Information SourcesSourcesCheck each source using the “5W’s and 1 H” systemCheck each source using the “5W’s and 1 H” system

WhoWho wrote the information? Check their credentials. wrote the information? Check their credentials. WhatWhat is the coverage is the coverage of the article – does it give of the article – does it give

information not found elsewhere? What level of information not found elsewhere? What level of information does it give? Is the level appropriate for information does it give? Is the level appropriate for your needs?your needs?

When When was the information last updated?was the information last updated? Is it recent Is it recent enough to be valid?enough to be valid?

WhereWhere does the information come from? What does it does the information come from? What does it link to – are the links still current?link to – are the links still current?

WhyWhy has this site been written? has this site been written? WhyWhy will this will this information be useful? Is the informationinformation be useful? Is the information biasedbiased in any in any way?way?

HowHow good is the information? Is it accurate and good is the information? Is it accurate and reliable?reliable?HowHow well documented is the work? Can you find a well documented is the work? Can you find a bibliography?bibliography?

Using sources in your Using sources in your dissertationdissertation Do Do NOTNOT plagiarise the information – if plagiarise the information – if

you are going to use direct quotes put you are going to use direct quotes put these in inverted commas and make these in inverted commas and make sure you cite the sources correctly.sure you cite the sources correctly.

If not quoting then make sure you If not quoting then make sure you write the information in your own write the information in your own words.words.

Finish your essay with a bibliography Finish your essay with a bibliography citing each source you have used.citing each source you have used.

CitationsCitations

Every time you consult a source make a Every time you consult a source make a note of the url, book details etc , so that note of the url, book details etc , so that you can find it easily if you decide to you can find it easily if you decide to use the information in your work.use the information in your work.

The source should be referenced in the The source should be referenced in the bibliography and as a footnote within bibliography and as a footnote within your work if you quote directly from it or your work if you quote directly from it or refer to it.refer to it.

Check out this website for a handy Check out this website for a handy guideguide

http://library.canterbury.ac.nz/services/rhttp://library.canterbury.ac.nz/services/ref/mhra.shtmlef/mhra.shtml

Citing an Online Citing an Online SourceSource

Author’s name Author’s name (Date of Publication). (Date of Publication). Title Title of workof work. <url of website> [accessed date]. <url of website> [accessed date]

egegKent Bach, ‘Performatives’, in Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy <http://www.rep.routledge.com> [accessed 3 October 2009]

Citing a bookCiting a book

Author’s Surname, InitialAuthor’s Surname, Initial or first name, or first name, Book Title in Italics (Book Title in Italics ( place of publication : place of publication : Name of publisher, date of publication), page Name of publisher, date of publication), page number if putting as footnotenumber if putting as footnote

egeg

Dahrendorf, Ralf, Society and Democracy in Germany (New York: Norton, 1979), p 76

Using FootnotesUsing Footnotes

When quoting from a source the quote should be in When quoting from a source the quote should be in inverted commas and a note reference number should inverted commas and a note reference number should be placed at the end of the sentence where possible. be placed at the end of the sentence where possible.

The footnotes should be at the bottom of the page and The footnotes should be at the bottom of the page and follow the format used in the bibliography, including follow the format used in the bibliography, including the page number quoted. However, author names the page number quoted. However, author names should be forename followed by surname, whereas in should be forename followed by surname, whereas in the bibliography they should be surname, forename.the bibliography they should be surname, forename.

If you cite the same source more than once , the If you cite the same source more than once , the subsequent footnotes can be shortened, all you need subsequent footnotes can be shortened, all you need is the author’s surname, first few words of the title is the author’s surname, first few words of the title and the page number e.g.and the page number e.g.

Worsley, Worsley, Classical architecture,Classical architecture, p.25 p.25

Useful website for a handy Useful website for a handy guide to using references in guide to using references in both footnotes and both footnotes and bibliography.bibliography.

http://http://library.canterbury.ac.nz/services/ref/mlibrary.canterbury.ac.nz/services/ref/mhra.shtmlhra.shtml

BibliographyBibliography

In your Bibliography you should list In your Bibliography you should list all the sources you have consulted, all the sources you have consulted, whether you have quoted from them whether you have quoted from them in the body of your work or not. in the body of your work or not.

It is not necessary to put the page It is not necessary to put the page number of any book used, but number of any book used, but otherwise the format is the same as otherwise the format is the same as for footnotes.for footnotes.