Effective Research Skills

Select Your Topic. Read research requirements

before beginning. Make a list of questions to help

guide your research.

Selecting and Using Sources

Print materials:

Media Center Card Catalog, Visual Search has link to books containing information on various Young Adult Writers

Note the location and availability in card catalog – write down call number (ex - B is Biography, Ref 920 Min, Fic Row)

Print Source

Locate a book written by the author. You may find information on the back of the book or the front/back inside cover.

If using a reference source, such as Biography Today, locate the index and search for the author’s last name. Note the volume number you need and page number.

Conducting Online

ResearchHow to Locate and Evaluate Internet

Resources

Many people know a lot Many people know a lot about technology but about technology but NOT a lot about how to NOT a lot about how to search the Internet!search the Internet!

Can you search Can you search effectively?effectively?

Electronic Searching

Ever try to locate information online

and you get too

many results??

or

no results at all?

Usually, people use search Usually, people use search terms that are too broad. terms that are too broad. This will produce too many This will produce too many results that are not relevant results that are not relevant to your topic.to your topic.

The Big Mistake

Example:

Assignment – Your teacher wants you to determine if the element mercury is toxic.

You “google” mercury…..

and retrieve millions of webpages…

Your results:

Mercury Car Planet Mercury

Try Again!

You realize the word “mercury” has several different meanings. So you add another search term.

You “google” Mercury Element.

Wrong Again!

Your first webpage is about a god in Roman mythology named “Mercury.”

Add another specific term to your search box:

Mercury Element Toxic

If you use specific phrases or If you use specific phrases or keywords pertaining to your topic, keywords pertaining to your topic,

you will save time… and be more you will save time… and be more successful in obtaining the results successful in obtaining the results

you need!you need!

But – I found it But – I found it on the Internet?on the Internet?

Treasure...Treasure...

oror

Trash?Trash?

Why do we need to evaluate web sources?Why do we need to evaluate web sources?

Virtually any person can publish almost anything on the Internet.

Unlike most print sources, web sources do not have to be professionally accepted and edited to be published.

Before clicking on the link, look to see if Before clicking on the link, look to see if it is a personal page. Check out the it is a personal page. Check out the domain name or the “dots”:domain name or the “dots”:

.gov = Hosted by a U.S. government agency

.com = For-profit business, personal sites

.edu = Educational organization

.org = Nonprofit organization

.net = Hosted by a network

.biz = Business site (newer than .com)

.ac = Academic organization (outside the United States)~ = personal webpage

Try the C.A.R.S. Try the C.A.R.S. evaluation checklist:evaluation checklist:

C – CredibilityC – Credibility

A – AccuracyA – Accuracy

R –ReasonablenessR –Reasonableness

S - SupportS - Support

Credibility Credibility •Author? •Has contact information?•Appearance of site •Sponsor or organization?        

Warning signs:

Anonymous InformationAnonymous Information

Misspellings, faulty links, messy Misspellings, faulty links, messy appearance, out-of-dateappearance, out-of-date

AccuracyAccuracy

Copyright Date? Last update? Copyright Date? Last update? Are the facts related to this Are the facts related to this topic?topic?

The material is presented objectively, not slanted The material is presented objectively, not slanted and bias?and bias?•Does the information make sense, given what I Does the information make sense, given what I know of the world? Is it believable?know of the world? Is it believable?•Does the information contradict itself?Does the information contradict itself?      

ReasonablenessReasonableness

Warning Warning signs:signs:

Manipulative or emotional language, one-Manipulative or emotional language, one-sided information, a conflict of interest sided information, a conflict of interest between the source and the objectivity of between the source and the objectivity of the information.the information.

SupportSupport•Has the author provided documentation? List of sources?

Using a database, such as Discus:

Discus - Advantages

Online Encyclopedia vs. Print EncyclopediasMagazine, Journal, Reference vs. Internet SiteOften has photographsCites the source for you – look for citation link at

top of article or bottom of page

Ex. SOURCE CITATION:

"Lois Duncan." Writers Directory, 24th ed. St. James Press, 2008. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC

Select Appropriate Database

Use Search Box – type in keywords

For Information on Young Adult Authors using the Discus database:

Try Biography Center, Books and Authors, Book Review Index Online, Literature Resources (Gale), Literature and Language link (Kids Infobits) or Junior Edition Literature links

Additional Information to remember – Additional Information to remember –

Cite your sources, clip art, photos. Give Cite your sources, clip art, photos. Give credit where credit is due!credit where credit is due!

The media center The media center Cite SlipsCite Slips that you that you can use to document. can use to document.

You can also find sites online that You can also find sites online that document for you – document for you –

http://www.easybib.com

http://www.citationmaker.com