Research Vocabulary

Research The investigation of a particular topic using a variety of reliable resources.

Outline A point form or list of short sentences or topics that describe the action or major ideas in a written work.

Proofreading Close reading of the work to look for and correct mistakes in language use.

Source Where you got your information from, whether it is a book, journal article, web site, or a database.

Primary Source An original document, which contains first hand accounts. Examples of primary sources are statistical information, historical documents or newspaper articles of eyewitness accounts.

Secondary Sources Represent analysis of primary sources. Examples of secondary sources are books and articles that review and interpret primary sources.

Tertiary Sources Third hand accounts of issues. Abstracts, indexes and bibliographies are tertiary sources.

Direct Quote When you take information from a source and put it in the exact words from the source itself. Put quotation marks at the beginning and end of the quote.

Paraphrase Taking information from a source and putting it entirely in your own words (changing one or two words is not paraphrasing). Paraphrases must be cited within the text.

Parenthetical Citation A brief note within your paper indicating that the information comes from an outside source. You must cite direct quotations, as well as paraphrases.

Bibliographic Citation Includes all of the information that is necessary to identify a book or journal article.

Electronic Database A comprehensive collection of information in electronic form and organized for quick retrieval.

Full Text The complete article obtained from journals, magazines, or newspapers, which can be accessed by using one of the databases to which the library subscribes.

Plagiarism The use of someone else’s work without giving that person the proper credit or any attribution at all.

Works Cited Should be the last page of your paper, and it lists identifying information, such as the publication date and location, for each of the sources that you cited in your paper. The sources are listed in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.