Researching an Effective Topic

Research Paper

Finding sourcesFinding sources

Once you have established a specific interest, you should do some preliminary research to see if there are enough authentic sources available.

To do this, you should go to the West Forsyth’s Library Homepage.

Click on the “West Forsyth” icon on the desktopThen click on the “Library Research Center” link on

the left hand side of the page

We’ll be Using 3 major Resources

We’ll be Using 3 major Resources

• Gale Databases

•clem79777

•NetTrekker

•West 556

•NCWiseOwl (not on this homepage—I will show it to you later)

Gale Databases/Cengage Gale Databases/Cengage

First, you will need to put in a password; particularly if you are working at home—

Clem79777

Then you will need to “Change Databases”Then you will need to “Change Databases”

Click One at a time!!Student Resource Center

Gold

Click One at a time!!Student Resource Center

Gold

Enter in your Prospective Topic and click “search”Enter in your Prospective Topic and click “search”

Notice How Much there is to discover!

Notice How Much there is to discover!

TabsTabsThe tabs at the top give you different TYPES of sources

—You will need FIVE sources; at least 3 must be print sources

Magazines, Academic journals, News, Reference are all print sources (mostly secondary sources: sources that are second hand knowledge—usually derived from research)

There is also a tab for primary sources: sources that come directly from first hand experience

Multimedia can also be helpful, but will be cited differently

The Side BarThe Side Bar

Don’t overlook this lovely sidebar! It can help you find specific interests; it can also help you find better search terms.

The articlesThe articlesNotice it tells you how many results for that category—this one

is just reference, so don’t forget about the tabs too!It also tells you where it is from—in this case an encyclopedia. Then it will tell you the content level. For research papers, it is

best to find intermediate or advanced—basic won’t help much with the argument, but might be okay for background information.

Click on the article to find out more!

The sourceThe source

Notice that it highlights your search words.

Skim the article to see if it would be useful.

If so, write it down on your notes sheet for your working bibliography

If you Scroll to the bottom—it gives you the MLA

citation!

If you Scroll to the bottom—it gives you the MLA

citation!Make sure

for your bibliography you include all relevant info!

Click on Change Databases to try a new

Database

Click on Change Databases to try a new

Database

Click One at a time!!Now try Opposing

Viewpoints

Click One at a time!!Now try Opposing

Viewpoints

This is similar to Student Resource Center Gold

This is similar to Student Resource Center Gold

But helps your argument in your paper. This is where you should spend most of your time.

Follow the same process for this database as you did for Student Resource

Center Gold

Follow the same process for this database as you did for Student Resource

Center Gold

Now, Go Back to the Library Homepage

Now, Go Back to the Library Homepage

• Minimize the window you have Click on the “West Forsyth” icon on the desktop

• Then click on the “Library Research Center” link on the left hand side of the page

Now Click on NetTrekkerNow Click on NetTrekker

At home you will need the username and password:

west 556

is both!

Scroll down till you get to West Forsyth and select then submit

Enter in your search topic and/or specific interests you have discovered and

hit enter

Enter in your search topic and/or specific interests you have discovered and

hit enter These are approved web resources! You can use these without approval from me or the librarians.

Clicking on them will open up new screens because they are outside

sources. This are pre approved Web sources

Clicking on them will open up new screens because they are outside

sources. This are pre approved Web sources

Now we’ll look at NCWiseOwl

Now we’ll look at NCWiseOwl

Minimize the window and double click on the internet explorer icon on the desktop.

Type in www.ncwiseowl.org at the top in the html address box

Click on “High School Zone”

Click on “High School Zone”

There are a lot of cool resources here

There are a lot of cool resources here

Now, researchNow, research

Click on “Student research”

All Resources require the same password: wiseowlAll Resources require the same password: wiseowl

This is similar to our databases, but more

expansive

This is similar to our databases, but more

expansive

You can limit the results here too

You can limit the results here tooMagazines, newspapers, books and encyclopedias are all

print resources

You can also narrow the results and find new keywords/specific interests

Turn to page 7 in your packet

Turn to page 7 in your packet

Authentic sources

What is an authentic What is an authentic source?source?

What is an authentic What is an authentic source?source?

“Authentic” means that the source is a reliable source of information, as free from bias as possible, and as accurate as possible.

How do I determine if a How do I determine if a source is reliable?source is reliable?

How do I determine if a How do I determine if a source is reliable?source is reliable?

There a 6 main criteria you should use evaluate a source before deciding if it is authentic.

1. Source Info1. Source Info1. Source Info1. Source Info Ask yourself questions about the Web Site’s information

Who is providing the information?Check domain ownership. This tells you if the source is reliable. Read "about us" and author bios. Examine links to and from other Web sites. Discover the Source's

Expertise Is the source an expert or authority?

Examine credentials in author bios and "about us" pages.Examine grammar and spelling. Look for other publications by the author or publisher.

Determine the Level of Objectivity Does the source provide a balanced viewpoint?Examine the writing style.

Is it trying to influence your opinion? If so, it’s a good bet that it is biased. Examine the advertising. Does it influence the content? Lack of objectivity does not necessarily mean the source provides substandard information. A persuasive

writer intends to win your favor. S/he might use good facts and analysis to do so.Examples illustrating objectivity: Check out the differences(# 1 on your worksheet!!!!)(# 1 on your worksheet!!!!)

> Cancer information at the National Cancer Institute (balanced) http://ihr.org/Not Just Another Scare (biased; undocumented claims) http://www.aspartamekills.com/blayart1.htm

2. Design2. Design2. Design2. DesignRefers to presentation, navigability, and overall ease of use. Ask yourself questions like…

How does the site look? Is it well-organized, easy to follow? If so, chances are it is more authentic.

Is the font-size legible? If not, it is not very academic

Are colors and graphics distracting? Professional websites should be clean and neat, not too flashy, but not

messy either. Are there a ton of advertisements?

If so, the site probably doesn’t have the academic nature you crave. .com sites are “commercial” and generally involve money transactions. .org is an organization and usually is biased toward one idea or another. .edu is educational

and .gov is government.

3. Help documentation & 3. Help documentation & SupportSupport

3. Help documentation & 3. Help documentation & SupportSupport

The web site should have readily-accessible materials that explain how to use the site and its resources.

Ask yourself questions such as… Does the site guide novice users (e.g., "new to the site?")? Are help links available on every page? Are they easy to find?

Does it suggest additional ways to find related information? Is contact information available and easy to find?

4. Performance4. Performance4. Performance4. Performance

Refers to the site stability and availability.Ask questions such as…

Is there minimal down time? Do the links works?

If not, it has not been updated often enoughHow fast does it load?

When a site is slow to load, that can often mean it is bogged down by too much “flash” not enough “meat”

5. Maintenance 5. Maintenance 5. Maintenance 5. Maintenance closely related to timeliness -- one of the basic five criteria,

this refers to the regular revision of a site in order to keep links and information up to date.

Evaluators should consider clearly dated and labeled archival sites.

Search out Dates of revisions. If you can’t find one, that is NOT a good sign.

Search out an author or organization or institution or contributors. IF THERE IS NOT ONE, it usually is not very authentic.

6. Audience6. Audience6. Audience6. Audience

Look for a target group, including age, language, reading ability, interests, etc.

Ask yourself questions like…Is the site appropriate for younger audiences?Does it target a certain group (e.g., doctors) or the

general public? What is the reading level?

So, what do you do with this Info?

So, what do you do with this Info?

Create a checklist for yourself, and evaluate your sources BEFORE you use them!

*REMEMBER* All Web sources must be validated by you and your teacher or media coordinator. Your teacher is ONLY consider it if you fill out an evaluation for the website, which (incidentally) helps with works cited information.

Working BibliographyWorking BibliographyWorking BibliographyWorking Bibliography

Keeping a working, or preliminary, bibliography is extremely helpful. It is easy to add or drop a source as needed and to arrange your list alphabetically when you begin to prepare your final Works Cited page. Using the MLA format from the get-go will also save you valuable time in the end.

*WARNING: your working bibliography is like a DRAFT for your WORKS CITED. It is NOT a WORKS CITED.