Senior Research Guide

Seven Steps of The Research Process 1.Identify and develop your topic 2.Find background information 3.Use catalogs to find books and media 4.Use online databases to find articles 5.Find internet resources 6.Evaluate what you find 7.Cite what you find using a standard format

1. Identify and Develop Your Topic State your topic as a question Make your question specific Identify keywords to use in your research

1. Identify and Develop Your Topic Example: Topic: Alzheimer's Question: What are the causes of Alzheimer's? Keywords: Alzheimer’s, causes, research, brain, seniors, geriatric medicine, neurology, dementia, senility

2. Find background information Once you have identified your topic and keywords you then want to find out as much background and context related to your topic as possible. Use Encyclopaedias and Dictionaries to find general information and definitions for your topic and keywords.EncyclopaediasDictionaries

TIP: EXPLOIT BIBLIOGRAPHIES Read the background information and note any useful sources (books, journals, magazines, etc.) listed in the bibliography at the end of the encyclopedia article or dictionary entry. The sources cited in the bibliography are good starting points for further research.bibliography

3. Use catalogs to find books and media Rideau library catalog can be found online at: Ottawa Public Library can be found online at: We also have a partnership with Carleton University that gives you some borrowing privileges at the libraryCarleton University

Why books are better resources than websites Depth of knowledge - Books contain far more information and a analysis on subjects than websites. Accuracy - Books go through a rigorous process of fact-checking and editing. Organization - Books are catalogued in libraries in a far more efficient manner than websites on the internet

4. Use online databases to find articles The Ottawa Public Library has online databases full of complete text articles from newspapers, magazines, and academic journals on a wide range of subjects.Ottawa Public Library

5. Find internet resources Only after you have looked up background information, and researched books and articles should you go to the internet. Now you will be prepared to distinguish quality web resources from poor ones. Two good starting places for quality information are: –The Librarian’s Internet IndexThe Librarian’s Internet Index –InfomineInfomine –Carleton LibraryCarleton Library

Evaluating Websites 1.Look at the URL –Personal page or site?Personal page or site? –What type of domain is it?.com,.org,.gov? –Does the URL match the content? Does it make sense?

Evaluating Websites 2. Scan the perimeter of the page for answers to these questions:the page –Who wrote the page? Look for the author or the organization who wrote the page. –Is the page dated? Is it current enough? –What are the author’s credentials Search for links such as: About us, Philosophy, Background

Evaluating Websites 3. Look for indicators of quality information –Are sources documented with footnotes or links? –Are there links to other resources on the topic? Do the links work? Do the links represent other viewpoints? Are the links well organized and annotated?

Evaluating Websites 4. What do others say? –Who links to the page? –Is the page listed in one or more reputable directories or pages? –What do others say about the author or authoring organization? (Do a Google search)

Evaluating Websites 5. Does it all add up?add up –Why was the page put on the internet? Inform? Persuade? Sell? –Is the page a satire, or parody? (Daily Show) –Does the information on the website fit with the information you got from the books and articles you found?

6. Evaluate what you find Look at the books, media, articles, and websites you have found and critically analyze their usefulness to your topic. Consider: –Authority of the author –Intended Audience –Coverage –Objective Reasoning

7. Cite what you find using a standard format To knowingly represent someone else's ideas as your own is plagiarism. Whenever you use someone else's words or ideas you must give them credit using proper MLA or APA format.

RESEARCH TIPS WORK FROM THE GENERAL TO THE SPECIFIC. –Find background information first, then use more specific and recent sources. RECORD WHAT YOU FIND AND WHERE YOU FOUND IT. –Record the complete citation for each source you find; you may need it again later. TRANSLATE YOUR TOPIC INTO THE SUBJECT LANGUAGE OF THE INDEXES AND CATALOGS YOU USE. –Check your topic words against a thesaurus or subject heading list.

Why Use MLA Format? Allows readers to cross-reference your sources easily Provides consistent format within a discipline Gives you credibility as a writer Protects yourself from plagiarism

Avoiding Plagiarism Proper citation of your sources in MLA style can help you avoid plagiarism, which is a serious offense. It may result in anything from failure of the assignment to expulsion from school.

MLA Style: Two Parts Works Cited Page Parenthetical Citations

Works Cited Page A complete list of every source that you make reference to in your essay Provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any sources cited in your essay.

A Sample Works Cited Page Smith 12 Works Cited Dickens, Charles. Bleak House New York: Penguin, David Copperfield New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, Miller, J. Hillis. Charles Dickens: The World and His Novels. Bloomington: U of Indiana P, Zwerdling, Alex. “Esther Summerson Rehabilitated.” PMLA 88 (May 1973):

Most citations should contain the following basic information: Author’s name Title of work Publication information Works Cited

Book Byatt, A. S. Babel Tower. New York: Random House, Article in a Magazine Klein, Joe. “Dizzy Days.” The New Yorker 5 Oct. 1998: Web page Poland, Dave. “The Hot Button.” Roughcut. 26 Oct Turner Network Television. 28 Oct Works Cited: Some Examples

Handling Quotes in Your Text Author’s last name and page number(s) of quote must appear in the text Romantic poetry is characterized by the “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263). Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (263).

When Should You Use Parenthetical Citations? When quoting any words that are not your own –Quoting means to repeat another source word for word, using quotation marks

When Should You Use Parenthetical Citations? When summarizing facts and ideas from a source –Summarizing means to take ideas from a large passage of another source and condense them, using your own words When paraphrasing a source –Paraphrasing means to use the ideas from another source but change the phrasing into your own words

Keys to Parenthetical Citations Readability Keep references brief Give only information needed to identify the source on your Works Cited page Do not repeat unnecessary information

Sometimes more information is necessary More than one author with the same last name (W. Wordsworth 23); (D. Wordsworth 224) More than one work by the same author (Joyce, Portrait 121); (Joyce, Ulysses 556) Different volumes of a multivolume work (1: 336) Citing indirect sources (Johnson qtd. in Boswell 2:450) Handling Parenthetical Citations

If the source has no known author, then use an abbreviated version of the title: Full Title: “California Cigarette Tax Deters Smokers” Citation: (“California” A14) If the source is only one page in length or is a web page with no apparent pagination: Source: Dave Poland’s “Hot Button” web column Citation: (Poland)

Handling Long Quotations David becomes identified and defined by James Steerforth, a young man with whom David is acquainted from his days at Salem House. Before meeting Steerforth, David accepts Steerforth’s name as an authoritative power: There was an old door in this playground, on which the boys had a custom of carving their names.... In my dread of the end of the vacation and their coming back, I could not read a boy’s name, without inquiring in what tone and with what emphasis he would read, “Take care of him. He bites.” There was one boy—a certain J. Steerforth—who cut his name very deep and very often, who I conceived, would read it in a rather strong voice, and afterwards pull my hair. (Dickens 68) For Steerforth, naming becomes an act of possession, as well as exploitation. Steerforth names David for his fresh look and innocence, but also uses the name Daisy to exploit David's romantic tendencies (Dyson 122).

There are many different combinations and variations within MLA citation format. If you run into something unusual, look it up! Handling Quotes in Your Text

Where can you go for additional help with MLA documentation? Rideau High School Library – Ask! Check the web site:

Bibliography Engle, Michael. “The Seven Habits of the Research Process” June 12, search/skill1.htm (September 17, 2008) search/skill1.htm Liethen Kunka, Jennifer. “Cross-referencing: Using MLA Format p/MLA.ppt (September 17, 2008)