How to research properly and well!

REFERENCE AND RESEARCH TOOLS

Throughout this school year we will be completing multiple research projects. You will need to know proper methods of

research, as well as proper citation.

Fill in your notes as we go along.

GET READY TO RESEARCH!

Dictionary

WHAT WORDS MEAN AND HOW TO USE THEM!

A dictionary tells what words mean.Each word, along with its meaning, is known

as an entry.A dictionary tells a word’s part of speech.

Dictionaries tell us how to pronounce, or say, words correctly.

You use a dictionary to define a word. The meaning of a word is called its definition.Dictionaries help us to use words wisely.

WHY USE A DICTIONARY?

What does the word moat mean?

FOR EXAMPLE…

Moat (mot) noun ; plural moats- A deep wide ditch that

was dug around a castle in olden times to protect it from enemies. It was often, though not always, filled with water.

EXAMPLE DICTIONARY ENTRY…

Shrek had to cross a fire filled moat to save Princess Fiona.

USE THE WORD…

Guide words help you locate words fast in a dictionary.

Guide words are at the top of the page in a dictionary.

They tell the first and last word on that page.If you are given a word, you can tell if it is on a certain page by looking at the page’s guide

words.

GUIDE WORDS…

Spoil/SpotAre the following words on this page in the dictionary?

1. Sponge

2. Splinter

3. Spoon

4. Spun

5. Sport

TRY IT…

Thesaurus

FIND A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT!

A thesaurus helps you avoid repetition in your writing and helps you find a word for an idea you have in mind. You can use it to increase your vocabulary as the typical thesaurus

has synonyms for more than 100,000 words.

Choose synonyms carefully. You will soon recognize that few words are exactly interchangeable. Use the thesaurus in conjunction with a good dictionary whenever selecting a

word or phrase unfamiliar to you.

WHY USE IT?

 In Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office PowerPoint, and Microsoft Office Outlook, you can look up a word quickly if

you right-click anywhere in the document, presentation, open message, or previewed message in the Reading Pane,

and then click Synonym on the shortcut menu.

ON THE COMPUTER…

There are two main kinds of thesaurus: a Roget-type with a categorization system and an A-to-Z thesaurus. Become

familiar with the categorization scheme if you have a Roget-type thesaurus. In an A-to-Z thesaurus, you may also benefit

from definitions at each entry. Look up a word in a Roget-type thesaurus in the index. The index will likely have the

meanings listed under each word. Don't limit your search to one category; also look at the categories just before and

after the one you first look up. Examine the offerings in all parts of speech in the category of interest. You might find

something you can use by broadening your search.

FROM A PRINT SOURCE..

Internet

WEB SITE RESEARCH

Internet research is used by many to gather information on and study a particular subject using resources published on

the Internet. The websites and sources you use for your Internet research should ideally be written by

professionals, experts, organizations, businesses, and other entities that are knowledgeable about that specific topic. Because the Internet is a public platform accessible to all,

the information you can sometimes find may not be entirely factual, but instead be formed by opinions and speculation; making the information you gather for your research void and inaccurate. To find information that is wholly factual and accurate on the topic you are researching, you must

know how to determine the credibility of the sources providing the information. Continue reading this article to learn how you can perform efficient Internet research that

allows you to gather meaningful and accurate results.

WHAT TO USE

Use the appropriate research tools. The tools you use to perform Internet research may vary depending on your

topic or assignment.

Use major search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo to perform your research; as these tools will provide you with access to nearly all published websites made available to the public. These search

engines will also display and rank websites for you according to topic relevancy based on the keywords you entered into the search engine.

Use search directories or tools provided to you by your employer, college, or university if you are performing Internet research for

school or work. Some employers and schools may provide you with websites they prefer or recommend, or give you access to credible,

private databases or tools inaccessible to the public.

STEP ONE

Use keywords relevant to the topic you are researching. To find credible and relevant information

about your topic on the Internet, you must use a combination of keywords related to your research.

Use specific keyword phrases to locate the most relevant information. For example, if you are looking for information on how

to perform an oil change on a 2006 Honda Accord, enter specific keywords such as "oil change instructions 2006 Honda Accord"

instead of a basic phrase such as "perform an oil change," which may bring back thousands of results for websites that feature oil changes on motorcycles, buses, boats, and all other automobiles.

Use alternate words or keyword phrases to locate additional research sources. For example, if you are performing research on

foreign movies, use the words "films" or "shows" in place of movies to find additional sources that may provide you with more

information on your research topic.

STEP TWO

Review several pages of search results for valid information. In most cases, search engines such as

Google, Bing, and Yahoo will rank search results based on specific algorithms, such as website popularity.

Look beyond the first page of search results to find information for your research. In some cases, you may be able to find websites with

helpful information beyond the first 5 pages of search results.

STEP THREE

Determine that the website is a credible and reliable source. If you are gathering facts for your research, you

will want to verify that the information is being provided by professionals or certified experts in that particular field or

subject.

Read the "About Us" section of a website to learn more about the authors or organization publishing the information.

Review the extension of the website in the address bar to determine the source. If the website ends in ".edu," ".gov," or ".org," the

information on the website is overseen by a school, government entity, or non-profit organization, respectively, and in most cases, is

accurate.

STEP FOUR

Use current information for your Internet research. Some information is time-sensitive, and the sources you

may find and use may be outdated or inaccurate. For example, if you are performing research on popular computer software, use information from an article

published within the last few weeks or months, instead of an article published from several years ago.

STEP FIVE

Review each website for grammatical errors and broken links. If the website is credible and reliable,

grammar and spelling should be accurate and all links should take you to the appropriate landing page. Websites

with numerous grammatical errors and broken links may be copying their information from another source or may not

be legitimate.

STEP SIX

Cite or list all the Internet sources used in your research. This process is helpful if you need to revisit a

website to include more information in your research, or if you need to provide your audience or employer with a list

of sources used to compile your information.

Copy or document the exact website link you used to access and provide information for your Internet research.

STEP SEVEN

Basic Style for Citations of Electronic Sources (Including Online Databases)

Here are some common features you should try and find before citing electronic sources in MLA style. Not every Web page will provide all of the following information. However,

collect as much of the following information as possible both for your citations and for your research notes:

Author and/or editor names (if available)

Article name in quotation marks (if applicable)

Title of the Website, project, or book in italics. (Remember that some Print publications have Web publications with slightly different names. They may, for example, include the additional information or otherwise modified information, like domain names [e.g. .com

or .net].)

Any version numbers available, including revisions, posting dates, volumes, or issue numbers.

Publisher information, including the publisher name and publishing date.

Take note of any page numbers (if available).

Medium of publication.

Date you accessed the material.

URL (if required, or for your own personal reference; MLA does not require a URL).

WEBSITE CITATION

Remember to use n.p. if no publisher name is available and n.d. if no publishing date is given.

Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Version number. Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of

resource creation (if available). Medium of publication. Date of access.

The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2008. Web. 23 Apr. 2008.

Felluga, Dino. Guide to Literary and Critical Theory. Purdue U, 28 Nov. 2003. Web. 10 May 2006.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

Evaluating BooksYou need to evaluate the information you are finding. It is an essential part of the research process!

Consider these five criteria:

Authority: Who wrote the book? What are the author’s credentials? Who is the publisher? If the publisher is an academic press, this generally means a scholarly resource.

o Tip: You can find this information on the title page of the book.

Audience: Who is the book written for? A specialized audience? Or a more general one? Is the focus appropriate for your topic?

o Tip: You can sometimes locate this information in the preface of the book.

Accuracy: Does the information appear to be well-researched or is it unsupported? Is the book free of errors?

o Tip: See if the author is footnoting information and providing a bibliography of sources consulted.

Objectivity: Does the book appear biased or is the authors viewpoint impartial? Is the author trying to influence the opinion of the reader?

o Tip: Is the author’s viewpoint very different than others in the field? In that case you will want to examine the data and supporting evidence closely.

Currency: When was the book published? Is it current or out of date for your topic? In general, areas in the humanities don’t need up-to-the minute research while areas in the sciences do. Has the book

been revised or is this a new edition? o Tip: This information is located on the back of the title page.

BOOK RESOURCES…

CoverTitle

AuthorIllustrator

Table of ContentsText

GlossaryIndex

WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF A BOOK…

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

The author’s name or a book with a single author's name appears in last name, first name format. The basic form for

a book citation is:

Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.

EXAMPLEBook with One Author

Gleick, James. Chaos: Making a New Science. New York: Penguin, 1987. Print.

BOOK CITATION

Articles are found in periodical publications, issued on a regular or "periodic" basis (daily, weekly, monthly, or

quarterly). These include newspapers, popular magazines, and academic or scholarly journals. Scholarly articles are

usually the most appropriate source of information for research papers.

Searching for Articles

Full-text articles are found in two main formats: print and electronic.

ARTICLE RESEARCH…

Article in a Magazine

Cite by listing the article's author, putting the title of the article in quotations marks, and italicizing the periodical title. Follow with the date of publication. Remember to abbreviate the month. The basic format is as follows:

Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages. Medium of publication.

EXAMPLEPoniewozik, James. "TV Makes a Too-Close Call." Time 20

Nov. 2000: 70-71. Print.

CITING AN ARTICLE…

Cite a newspaper article as you would a magazine article, but note the different pagination in a newspaper. If there is more than one edition available for that date (as in an early

and late edition of a newspaper), identify the edition following the date (e.g., 17 May 1987, late ed.).

EXAMPLEBrubaker, Bill. "New Health Center Targets County's

Uninsured Patients." Washington Post 24 May 2007: LZ01. Print.

CITING AN ARTICLE…