Research Tips
The following seven steps outline a simple and effective strategy for finding information for a research paper, and documenting the sources you find. Depending on your topic and your familiarity with the library, you may need to rearrange or recycle through these steps. Adapt this outline to your needs.
STEP 1. IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP YOUR TOPIC.State your topic as a question. For example, if you are interested in finding out about use of alcoholic beverages by college students, you might pose the question, "What effect does use of alcoholic beverages have on the health of college students?" Identify the main concepts or keywords in your question.
Suggestions for Finding a Topic
Discuss your topic ideas with your Teacher.
Scan The CQ Researcher, a publication that reports and analyzes current issues of national significance.
Look over the index and the article titles in an encyclopedia that covers the subject area of your topic (for example, sociology, United States social history, women's studies, etc.).
STEP 2. FIND BACKGROUND INFORMATION.Look up your keywords in the online encyclopedias. Read articles in these encyclopedias to set the context for your research. Note any relevant items in the bibliographies at the end of the encyclopedia articles.
Finding Background Information
Once you have identified the main topic and keywords for your research, find one or more sources of background information to read. These sources will help you understand the broader context of your research and tell you in general terms what is known about your topic. The most common background sources are encyclopedias and dictionaries from the reference collection. Textbooks also provide background information.
EXPLOIT BIBLIOGRAPHIES Read the background information and note any useful sources (books, journals, magazines, etc.) listed in the bibliography at the end of the encyclopedia article or dictionary entry. The sources cited in the bibliography are good starting points for further research.
Remember that many of the books and articles you find in the ESM High School Library Catalog (OPAC) and periodical indexes (EBSCO) will themselves have bibliographies. Check these bibliographies for additional relevant resources for your research.
By using this technique of routinely following up on sources cited in bibliographies, you can generate a surprisingly large number of books and articles on your topic in a relatively short time.
STEP 3. USE THE ONLINE CATALOG TO FIND BOOKS.The Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) includes books, periodical titles, videocassettes, and recorded books.
You may wish to use interlibrary loan to order titles that the ESM High School Library does not own. Please ask Mrs. Wiles.
STEP 4. USE EBSCO TO FIND JOURNAL ARTICLESUse EBSCO to find full-text journal and newspaper articles about your topic.
STEP 5. FIND INTERNET RESOURCES
To locate materials on the Internet select web resources from among the Library's databases or suggested electronic resources.
STEP 6. EVALUATE WHAT YOU HAVE FOUNDIn order to evaluate the authority and quality of the articles you found through the Internet, please refer to the Evaluation of Web Pages from the Cornell University Library.
STEP 7.
CITE WHAT YOU FIND USING A STANDARD FORMAT FOR YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY Format the citations in your bibliography using examples from the Modern Language Association (MLA) standards. See the Sample Works Cited.
RESEARCH TIPS:
WORK FROM THE GENERAL TO THE SPECIFIC.
Find background information first, and then use more specific and recent sources.
RECORD WHAT YOU FIND AND WHERE YOU FOUND IT.
Write out a complete citation for each source you find; you may need it again later.
Need help clarifying your topic?
Need ideas about where to look next?
Want to be sure you're using a reference source effectively?
Ask your Teacher or Mrs. Wiles
**The original source for this document is the Reference Services Division, Olin*Kroch*Uris Libraries, Cornell University. The Wells College Library Reference Dept has modified the original with permission, and the ESM High School Library, after making local changes, uses it with the authorization of the Wells College Library.
Electronic Searching
Choose from The ESM High School Library extensive collection of online subscription databases, or suggested electronic search tools.
Evaluating Web Pages
Please refer to the document entitled Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages, created by the Cornell University Libraries.
Plagiarism
The University of Indiana has published a student guide entitled:
Plagiarism: What it is and How to Recognize and Avoid it which you will find helpful, if you have any questions about the proper use of citations in your research paper.
It is important that you revisit the concept of Academic Integrity found on pages 1-3 in your school handbook. It clearly illustrates what plagiarism is, how you can prevent it and explains its consequences.
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