How to Research Standard

[W.6.7] Conduct (manage) short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry

(research) when appropriate.

[W.6.8] Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess (to

make a judgment about something) the credibility of each source; and quote or

paraphrase (a statement that says something that another person has said or written in a different way)

the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.

[W.6.9] Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,

reflection, and research

Why do we research?

The purpose is to learn about a particular

subject. Remember to focus on the accuracy of

the information.

Steps to researching

Step 1. Choose a topic Step 2. Brainstorm Step 3. Create a research plan Step 4. Gather Data

Step 1. Choose a topic

Make sure the topic is broad enough to allow for multiple sources of information, but not to broad for writing a focused, relevant paper.

Step 2. Brainstorm

Ask yourself questions regarding the topic. What is interesting about the topic? What makes the topic worthy of a research paper? What do you already know about the topic and what would you like to learn? Talk with friends, parents, teachers and others who can help you explore your interest in the topic.

Step 3. Create a research plan

Decide how many and what kind of resources you will use. Both print and online sources can be used for your research project. Visit your school's library and find out what reference books are available and might be useful. Perform a preliminary search online using search engines you learned about in computer class or from your school librarian. Make a list of the sources you will use, and make sure the number and kinds of sources fit the requirements for your assignment.

Step 4. Gather Data

While gathering data remember to not copy what the source says verbatim, but reword the source into your own words.

Ex. of Source from website Adolf Hitler was the founder and leader of the Nazi Party and the most

influential voice in the organization, implementation and execution of the Holocaust, the systematic extermination and ethnic cleansing of six million European Jews and millions of other non-aryans.

Source: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/hitler.html ____________________________________________________________

Source reworded in my own words Adolf Hitler was the founder and leader of the Nazi Party and the most

prominent voice in the organization and execution of the Holocaust. While being the most prominent voice of this organization, he was the cause of six million European Jews death.

Sources

Websites URL should end in .org, .edu, .gov, or .com

Ex. http://www.crlsresearchguide.org/ Sources should come form educational websites.

› Example: www.discoverychannel.com Write down all the sources from where you

gathered information. Do not use Wikipedia. It is not a credible source.

Primary Source

A primary source is a document, speech, or other sort of evidence written, created or otherwise produced during the time under study. Primary sources offer an inside view of a particular event.

Examples include:› Autobiographies, diaries, e-mail, interviews, letters,

minutes, news film footage, official records, photographs, raw research data, speeches.

Examples of Primary Sources› The Declaration of Independence — U. S. history

Secondary Source

A secondary source is something written about a primary source. Secondary sources include comments on, interpretations of, or discussions about the original material. You can think of secondary sources as second-hand information. If I tell you something, I am the primary source. If you tell someone else what I told you, you are the secondary source. Secondary source materials can be articles in newspapers or popular magazines, book or movie reviews, or articles found in scholarly journals that discuss or evaluate someone else's original research.

Research Project

Question to be answered in the report: Who is Dr. Seuss and what has he accomplished?

You will work alone on your project. You are responsible for writing a five

paragraph research paper and creating a poster board to go along with your paper.

Your paper must be typed when turned in and include sources.

We will work on your paper in class. Your paper and poster is due March 4th .

Sources

Honors English must have five sources and they must be typed and stapled to the back of your paper.

English 6 must have three sources and they must be typed and stapled to the back of your paper.

Poster

The poster MUST include the following: › Topic Name (3 points) › 4 pictures can be drawn or printed on the

computer (20 points) › Captions for all the pictures (Tell what the

pictures are of) (12 points) Total Points: 35 points

Points Possible

50 points for research paper 35 points for poster 10 points for presentation 5 points for sources

Total Points Possible 100

Sources for PowerPoint

http://knowledgecenter.unr.edu/help/using/primary.aspx

http://www.ithacalibrary.com/sp/subjects/primary

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inquiry

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conduct

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assess