2.  You will need four sources for your research paper.  Sources must include the following types: -A print source  -A website -An online article  -An online article from a database

3.  A PRINT source is any piece of information in a tangible form. (You can hold it in your hands.)  Examples: Books, Magazines, Newspapers, Professional Journals, Encyclopedias  PRINT sources CANNOT be found online!

4.  Any information found on the Internet from a creditable website.  We will discuss “creditable” at a later time.  Examples of these sites include: pbs.org; cnn.com; newsweek.com; historychannel.com

5.  First – An article is an informational text written by a reporter and most often seen in printed sources like magazines, newspapers, and professional journals.  With the dawn of the online revolution, all magazines, newspapers, and journals can now be found online in some form.

6.  Some periodicals include copies of their print articles on their websites. These articles are published in the PRINT form and online.  For example: Joe Jones writes an article on the NFL draft for Sports Illustrated. The editors of Sports Illustrated include the article in the magazine and also include a link to the article on their website, SI.com.  The copy of the article on SI.com is now considered an online source.

7. FIRST…. we must answer the question… WHAT IS A DATABASE?

8.  Is database is a place where information is organized and stored.  Our school keeps a database that organizes and stores all students’ personal information.  Grocery stores keep databases that organize and store the amounts of products they have on the shelves.

9.  Databases can be used for anything.  There are now online databases that are used to store information.  Some of these databases organize and store written information like news articles and professional articles.

10.  Other online databases can be used as “people finders.”  We can think of these online information databases as large virtual filing cabinets we use to keep track of every article ever written.  Different online databases focus on different topics.

11.  Our media center provides us with a list of online reference links.  One of these links includes “The Alabama Virtual Library.”  The AVL houses may useful databases that you will use in your research.  http://www.avl.lib.al.us/

12. It is an article from one of these AVL listed databases. Wait….we can’t stop there…let’s talk about ARTICLE TYPES.

13.  Newspapers and Magazines: › These periodicals are for any member of the general public. › They feature articles written by journalists for information and entertainment purposes. › They are fairly cheap to purchase.  Professional Journal: › This type of periodical is only meant for professionals in a certain field like doctors, lawyers, and educators. › It features heavily researched articles written by doctors, lawyers, and educators for other doctors, lawyers, and educators in order to inform them on new developments in the field. › These journals are delivered to subscribers at a very high cost.

14.  This is an article found on a database (for your purposes) located on AVL. › An example of an AVL database would be EBSCO.  All of these articles on these databases should be from some sort of professional journal. › For example: One might find an article on the General Hannibal that was written by an Oxford professor of military history and published in The Journal of Military History and filed on the EBSCO database on AVL.

15.  Number one thing…DON’T panic! During the research unit, Mr. Dearwent and I will help you work through this information.  Make sure you understand that you must have each type of source represented in your paper.