Back to Unity LMC: EAST or WEST

Research Rescue!

kidwriting
Getting Started
Organize your thoughts & ideas
Online reference Tools
Use correct information tools
Online libraries
Using the Internet
Using search engines
Evaluating web sites
Project completion
Evaluating your own work

Getting Started

Here are the basic steps you should follow:

1. Define your problem or question

2. Decide what sources of information you can use (make a list)

3. Locate your sources

4. Start reading, printing, taking notes

5. Organize all the data you have and write your paper or complete your assignment

6. Evaluate how well you did. What could you do differently next time?

Let one of these research models help you organize the process and see how it all fits together.

These sites give even more information on the steps you need to take:
The Research Cycle: an easy to use chart that describes the research process steps
SUCCEED: Another research process that breaks the process down even further.

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Organize your thoughts and ideas

Developing a research question: What subjects should I look up?

Do you have access to "inspiration? This will help brainstorm ideas.

Fact Finder Worksheet: Assists students in knowing what to look up (for Grades K - 5)

Note Taking Form: Helps organize information and track from where it orginates.

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Online reference tools

Webster's Dictionary and Thesaurus
Rhyming Dictionary
InfoPlease Almanac
Encyclopedias free online:
Basic encyclopedia: Encyclopedia.com
Solid information: Columbia Encyclopedia
More detailed: Encarta (an abridged version of their CD)
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
Atlas: Atlapedia: maps, country information and more!
Biographical dictionary
Bartleby's: Links to many other reference sources
Currency Converter
Maps:  Links to all kinds of maps from all over the world
Language translator: Translate words into 6 different languages

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Use the correct information tool

How can you decide which information tool is best for your project?

You have lots of choices: books, magazines, newspapers, interviews with people,
videos, television, CD-ROMs, or the Internet.

Which information source should I use? This chart is a guide to choosing the right tool for the job.
Primary vs Secondary Sources: What's the difference?

Online Magazines:
Magazines Online: Links to hundreds of magazines that can be found online

MagPortal: A database of thousands of magazine articles that have been posted online. Users can easily search for a topic and print out the articles that are useful. 

Newsweek: The full text of all editions of Newsweek since February, 1997 are available free through Search. 

Newspapers on-line

Daily news from the New York Times: summaries of the major news stories each day.

Newspapers from around the world Newspapers Online: from Yahoo

News-Gazette  Champaign-Urbana News Gazette

The Daily Illini: Newspaper published University of Illinois students

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Online libraries

These library sites are good places to start:

Tolono Public Library: Tolono, Illinois Public Library

Urbana Free Library: Urbana, Illinois Public Library

Champaign Public Library: Great site of a local library

St. Joseph Township Library: St. Joseph, Illinois Public Library

University of Illinois Library Gateway: University of Illinois Library-

Internet Public Library: a wealth of information for everyone!

The Library of Congress research tools.

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Using the Internet

Internet sites with tons of well organized information!
These sites will help you find anything you need.

Homework Wizard: Let the Homework Wizard  guide you through your projects.
BJ Pinchbeck's web site: "If you can't find it here, then you just can't find it."
Jim Thorpe High School : alphabetical list of many useful topics.
Library spot: The place to find just about anything online.
Librarian's Index to the Internet

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Using search engines

Overview of all the major search engines and their special features
Comparing the search engines
Search engine strategies
Choosing the best search engine for what YOU need
Teachers' Favorites: Google Ask Jeeves   MetaeurekaAlta Vista

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Evaluating web sites

Web Site Evaluation for Elementary School (Kathy Schrock)
Web Site Evaluation for Middle School (Kathy Schrock)

How to evaluate on-line content (Julie Knott)

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Project completion

Now put all your information together and write that paper!
A guide to writing your final paper
More great writing tips 
More research help
Bibliography guide  (A sample bibliography to help you cite your sources properly)
EasyBib.com  (Use this great site to create your bibliography online! You just have to type in the information!) 

Are you giving an oral presentation to the class?
Here are some great tips!
More great tips for oral presentations

Are you using PowerPoint to present your project to the class?
Here are some guidelines for creating an effective PowerPoint presentation

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Evaluating your own work

Here's some good advice: Read your paper out loud to a friend, sibling, parent, even your pet!  You'll get a good feeling for its strengths and weaknesses. 

What is PLAGIARISM and how can I be sure I avoided it?
Library research rubric: How well did I use my time in the library?

Don't lose points for missing parts! Do you have all the components required by your teacher?
Title page? Introduction? Paragraphs with supporting detail? Bibliography or Works Cited in proper format?

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