Research Project a step by step guide to doing it the right way!

1. Research Projecta step by step guide to doing it the right way!

2. Step 1- Choosing a Topic • Well, the good news is this is done for you! Your group has chosen your overall topic and you have chosen your sub topic. • So, step 1, DONE

3. Step 2- Narrowing Your Topic • Now that you have a topic chosen, you will probably be faced to the daunting task of narrowing your topic down to just a few main points. • Since the topic is probably unfamiliar to you, this may have to be done at a later time. For now, we will skip step 2. Don’t worry we’ll be back!

4. Narrowing the topic: Consider the following questions • Who is my audience? (Who are you presenting this information to?) Consider what things your audience may be interested in. • What is my purpose for presenting this information? (the answer is not “so I get the grade!”) Consider things like are you trying to persuade, entertain, or simply inform?

5. Step 3- Prewriting • Next item on the agenda is …….. RESEARCH! This is going to be what takes up a bulk of your time. You have to gather your information.

6. Step 3- Prewriting • Types of sources- The majority of you will probably use the internet for your research, but there are other options out there as well.. • Books, remember books? They exist in the library. • Encyclopedias- Its where we looked up information before Google. Still very helpful! • Magazine/Newspaper Articles… also helpful

7. Research Basics Before you begin your research, you should ask yourself some questions. These will help narrow your search parameters. • What kind of information are you looking for? • Do you want facts? Opinions? News reports? Research studies? Analyses? Personal reflections? History? • Where would be a likely place to look? • Which sources are likely to be most useful to you? Libraries? The Internet? Academic periodicals? Newspapers? Government records? • If, for example, you are searching for information on some current event, a reliable newspaper like the New York Times will be a useful source. Are you searching for statistics on some aspect of the U.S. population? Then, start with documents such as United States census reports. Do you want some scholarly interpretations of literature? If so, academic periodicals and books are likely to have what you’re looking for. Want to know about commercial products? Will those companies have Web sites with information? Are you searching for local history? Then a county library, government office, or local newspaper archive is likely to be the most useful. • How much information do you need? • How many sources of information are you looking for? Do you need to view both sides of the issue?

8. Online vs Print • An important distinction when doing research is the difference between traditional publications and Internet resources. The Internet may be the most convenient place to begin your research, but it is not always the best. • Internet Sources: Anything published exclusively online in a variety of digital formats. Material includes: web pages, PDF documents, ebooks, multimedia. • Traditional Publications: This includes anything that has been published in print form and is widely available at libraries and bookstores. Material includes: books, textbooks, newspapers, popular and scholarly journals, and magazines. • With the advent of new technologies, many traditional resources are now available online (including newspaper articles, magazines, book chapters, and journal articles). Pay careful attention to whether the source you have found is an online-only source or if it has a print component as well.

9. Types Sources • Traditional print sources • Books and Textbooks: Books present a multitude of topics. Because of the time it takes to publish a book, books usually contain more dated information than will be found in journals and newspapers. • Newspapers: Predominately covering the latest events and trends, newspapers contain very up-to-date information. Newspapers report both information that is factual in nature and also share opinions. Generally, however, they will not take a “big picture” approach or contain information about larger trends. • Academic and Trade Journals: Academic and trade journals are where to find the most up-to-date information and research in industry, business, and academia. Journal articles come in several forms, including literature reviews that overview current and past research, articles on theories and history, or articles on specific processes or research. • Government Reports and Legal Documents: The government releases information intended for its own use or for public use. These types of documents can be an excellent source of information. An example of a government report is the U.S. Census data. Most government reports and legal documents can now be accessed online. • Flyers, Pamphlets, Leaflets: While some flyers or pamphlets are created by reputable sources, because of the ease in which they are created, many less-than-reputable sources also produce these. They are useful for quick reference or very general information.

10. Types of Sources • Internet-only sources • Web sites: Most of the information on the Internet is distributed via Web sites. Web sites vary widely in quality of information and validity of sources. • Weblogs / Blogs: A rather recent development in Web technology, weblogs or blogs are a type of interactive journal where writers post and readers respond. They vary widely in quality of information and validity of sources. For example, many prestigious journalists and public figures may have blogs, which may be more credible of a blog than most. • Message boards, Discussion lists, and Chat rooms: Discussion lists, chat rooms, and message boards exist for all kinds of disciplines both in and outside of the university. However, plenty of boards exist that are rather unhelpful and poorly researched. • Multimedia: The Internet has a multitude of multimedia resources including online broadcasts and news, images, audio files, and interactive Web sites.

11. Types of Sources • Primary Source • A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Some types of primary sources include: ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records  • CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art  • RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings • Examples of primary sources include: • Diary of Anne Frank - Experiences of a Jewish family during WWII  • The Constitution of Canada - Canadian History  • A journal article reporting NEW research or findings  • Weavings and pottery - Native American history  • Plato's Republic - Women in Ancient Greece 

12. Types of Sources • Secondary Source • A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them. Some types of seconday sources include: PUBLICATIONS: Textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias  • Examples of secondary sources include: • A journal/magazine article which interprets or reviews previous findings  • A history textbook  • A book about the effects of WWI 

13. Are you a good source? Or a bad source? • A word about Internet sources: • Be selective about internet sources you use • Anyone can post anythingon a website –the information may or may not be accurate. In general, go with sites of established agencies or groups. • You want to look for credible sources that have no agenda! • In general you want .org, .net, .eduetc • You NEVER, EVER, EVER use Wikipedia as a source! • Wikipedia is the devil.

14. How do I know if a source is Credible? • You can ask the following questions to determine if a source is credible. • Who is the author? Credible sources are written by authors respected in their fields of study. Responsible, credible authors will cite their sources so that you can check the accuracy of and support for what they've written. (This is also a good way to find more sources for your own research.) • How recent is the source? The choice to seek recent sources depends on your topic. While sources on the American Civil War may be decades old and still contain accurate information, sources on information technologies, or other areas that are experiencing rapid changes, need to be much more current. • What is the author's purpose? When deciding which sources to use, you should take the purpose or point of view of the author into consideration. Is the author presenting a neutral, objective view of a topic? Or is the author advocating one specific view of a topic? Who is funding the research or writing of this source? A source written from a particular point of view may be credible; however, you need to be careful that your sources don't limit your coverage of a topic to one side of a debate. • What type of sources does your audience value? If you are writing for a professional or academic audience, they may value peer-reviewed journals as the most credible sources of information. If you are writing for a group of residents in your hometown, they might be more comfortable with mainstream sources, such as Time or Newsweek. A younger audience may be more accepting of information found on the Internet than an older audience might be. • Be especially careful when evaluating Internet sources! Never use Web sites where an author cannot be determined, unless the site is associated with a reputable institution such as a respected university, a credible media outlet, government program or department, or well-known non-governmental organizations. Beware of using sites like Wikipedia, which are collaboratively developed by users. Because anyone can add or change content, the validity of information on such sites may not meet the standards for academic research.

15. Use The CARS Method • Credibility • If a source is credible, it is: Trustworthy; the quality of evidence and argument is evident; the author's credentials are available; quality control is evident; it is a known or respected authority; it has organizational support.Goal: An authoritative source; a source that supplies some good evidence that allows you to trust it. Some questions to ask to determine credibility: • Is there sufficient evidence presented to make the argument persuasive? • Are there compelling arguments and reasons given? • Are there enough details for a reasonable conclusion about the information?

16. Use The CARS Method • Accuracy • If a source is accurate, it is: Up-to-date, factual, detailed, exact, comprehensive, and its purpose reflects intentions of completeness and accuracy.Goal: A source that is correct today (not yesterday); a source that gives the whole truth. In addition to an obvious tone or style that reveals a carelessness with detail or accuracy, there are several indicators that may mean the source is inaccurate, either in whole or in part: • No date on the document • Assertions that are vague or otherwise lacking detail • Sweeping rather than qualified language (that is, the use of always, never, every, completely rather than usually, seldom, sometimes, tends, and so forth) • An old date on information known to change rapidly • A very one-sided view that does not acknowledge opposing views or respond to them • for a reasonable conclusion about the information?

17. Use The CARS Method • Reasonableness • If a source is reasonable, it is: Fair, balanced, objective, and reasoned; there is no conflict of interest; there is an absence of fallacies or slanted tone.Goal: A source that engages the subject thoughtfully and reasonably; a source concerned with the truth. • Here are some clues to a lack of reasonableness: Intemperate tone or language ("stupid jerks," "shrill cries of my extremist opponents") • Overclaims ("Thousands of children are murdered every day in the United States.") • Sweeping statements of excessive significance ("This is the most important idea ever conceived!") • Conflict of interest ("Welcome to the Old Stogie Tobacco Company Home Page. To read our report, 'Cigarettes Make You Live Longer,' click here." or "When you buy a stereo, beware of other brands that lack our patented circuitry.")

18. Use The CARS Method • Support • If a source is valid, it will have: Listed sources, contact information, and available corroboration its claims will be supported; documentation will be supplied. Goal: A source that provides convincing evidence for the claims made; a source you can triangulate (find at least two other sources that support it). • Some source considerations include these: Where did this information come from? • What sources did the information creator use? • Are the sources listed? • Is there a bibliography or other documentation? • Does the author provide contact information in case you wish to discuss an issue or request further clarification? • What kind of support for the information is given? • How does the writer know this?

19. Collecting Information • Take notes from your sources. • You will have notecards and you will write down important information from each source. • Notetaking does not mean copying. It means read the information and select the important parts. You paraphrase the information. (shorten and put in your own words)

20. WHAT GOES ON A NOTE CARD? • Information you did not know about your topic that you get from another author

21. HOW TO TAKE ANOTHER AUTHOR’S INFORMATION?? • Paraphrase • Summarize • Quote DON’T PLAGIARIZE!!!!

22. PLAGIARISM • It's like lip-synching to someone else's voice and accepting the applause and rewards for yourself. • IF YOU PLAGIARIZE, YOU WILL FAIL!!! …any time you take a writer’s words and use them as your own, you are plagiarizing

23. Using another writer’s words as your own… the right way! • Paraphrase/Summarize • Quote • Include your own thoughts about what the writer has to say ALWAYS GIVE THE CREDIT TO THE REAL AUTHOR!

24. PARAPHRASE/SUMMARIZE • Summarize (compress/shrink down) in your own words • Translate and rewrite what the author is saying·      

25. PARAPHRASE Example of what you read: "I had to explain to him that I was deaf. I said, 'Wait; I can't hear; please talk slowly.' He looked at me and said, 'What?' I told him again I was deaf, and he said, 'Oh.' He pointed to a door and told me to go through that door. I followed his instructions. I opened the door and walked through it, closing the door behind me. I found that I was in the hallway near the elevator where I had just come up. I was shocked! He had rejected me without any explanation. I got into the elevator, and as it descended, I felt very letdown. I couldn't understand why he didn't give me a chance to explain that I could do the job well. It didn't require hearing!" -- Bernard Bragg, My First Summer Job, A Handful of Stories, 19

26. PARAPHRASEAn Example of paraphrasing what you read • In A Handful of Stories, Bernard Bragg tells a story of trying to get a job. One time he told a potential employer he was deaf, and the man just pointed to the door. Mr. Bragg, not realizing the man was telling him to leave, opened the door and stepped out. Not until he went out the door did he realize he had been rejected because he was deaf (19).

27. QUOTE Use quotation marks ““ to show EXACTLY what the author was saying (Do NOT use more than 4 lines) • Include Author’s Last Name and Page Number on which you found the information, directly after the quote For example, According to Hughes, “poetry rocks!” (Hughes, p. 2)

28. So, what goes on the Note Card?? • As you find interesting facts about your topic, you will write them down. • Each idea should be paraphrased (summarized in your own words), and written on a card.

29. Bibliography • When you get/find a new source, the first thing you want to do is make a card for the source with the MLA information on it.

30. Source # MLA CITATION

31. Next, you will want to read your source and take down information.

32. Stay organized… • In order to keep your ideas in order, and to remember where you found the ideas, there are four items that you should include on the index card

33. 4 Items to include on card .

34. 1. Card Topic Topic is the kind of information on the card. Think of it as the title, or main idea of the card. After writing down the information, figure out how you could briefly categorize, or title it.

35. Card Topic For example, if you are writing a paper on the life and works of the poet, Langston Hughes, you may have cards with topics such as: • Hughes' upbringing • Hughes' influences • Hughes' poetry • Hughes' political beliefs • Hughes' influence on America

36. 2. Source Title • The source title is the name of the book, magazine, website, etc., in which you found the information. • You will want to also turn your card over and list ALL Catalog Card information (publisher, etc.).

37. Giving Your Source a Number • In the previous example, the source was given a number, instead of writing out the entire title, author, etc.

38. Write out the title for the source you are using on each card , or simply list your sources on a separate sheet of paper. • Number your sources on this list • Use the numbers on the note cards to specify which source provided which fact.

39. 3. paraphrased information • It is helpful to paraphrase, or summarize, your research on the index cards while you are taking notes. If you are consistent in paraphrasingat this stage, then you will be certain not to accidentally plagiarize someone else's work. You will also have less work to do when you are actually writing the paper.

40. 4. page numbers • It is important to be accurate with the page numbers on your note cards, as you will need them for citations throughout your research paper.

41. Sample Note Cards Organized by Card Topic

42. What to put on the note card? Topic Source # Information Page # if applicable.

43. Let’s Practice! • I will give your group some example sources for a pretend research assignment. First decide if the source is reliable/credible for this project. • If yes, fill out a notecard correctly for the new source and 2 pieces of information. • If no, discard that source and move on to the next.