6. Doing the research Group6 Emily A Carl A Nancy A Paula A Lydia A

6a. What information to look for Source: essays, book chapters, newspaper, or journal articles, treatises, pamphlets, and tape or disk transcriptions Form: in printed, electronic, or photographic

6a-1 single-fact information single-fact information: answers specific factual questions. Answers of specific factual questions can be found in dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, magazines, even telephone book.

6a-2 General information General information: provide an overview of a subject or a particular topic. Encyclopedias and other general sources: they are good sources to answer broad questions

6a-3 in-depth information In-depth information: include a specific topic in detail Forms of in-depth information: books, essays, and articles

6b. where to look for information Ask librarian about online databases Encyclopedia articles Check the library of congress’s online catalog The appendix of this book

Search engine Bibliography Card catalog Book review digest standard dictionary or go to dictionary.com

Who’s who online database Gazetteers and atlases

6b-1 General indexes A general index information published in magazines, newspapers, and journals. Magazines: Time, Psychology Today, and Ebony Newspapers: the New York Times, the Washington post, and the Atlanta Constitution

Journals: the Kenyon Review, Scientific American, and the Quarterly Review of Biology Magazines and newspapers: topical subjects Journals: more narrow and specific

The Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature is a general index collections: more than 180 popular periodicals A page of readers’ guide abstracts includes an abstract of the article, and whether your library subscribes to the periodical of the article or not

Newspapers index: provide the exact location of each article, an indication of its length, and a brief summary of the content

6b-2 specialized indexes Specialized indexes: catalog information on specific subjects. Different specific subjects have their own indexes Choose the right index on your subject

6b-3 using interviews and surveys Interview is another important source of information. Expert is recognized as an authority in a particular subject. In addition, experts can be someone who has had a unique experience.

You have to establish expert’s credentials to evidence he or she is an expert Judge whether he or she is an expert on your topic or not Do not use the interview of experts and eyewitness only Some research projects require surveys, especially in psychology and social sciences

6c Assembling a working bibliography

Q: What is Bibliography? A: The bibliography is a list of sources on the research topic.

Q: What is the Working Bibliography? A: The Working Bibliography is made up of those sources that you consult for information.

Q: What is the Final Bibliography? A: The Final Bibliography is an alphabetical list of the sources you actually use in the paper.

Q: What is Bibliography Card? A: * Scan the reference material for information on the subject. * Assemble the Working bibliography * Jot down promising sources on 3X5 cards.

The advantages of Bibliography Cards Portable Can be arranged easily in alphabetical order. More useful than a notebook, scraps of paper, or even documents stored in a computer.

Each sources actually used will be recorded on two kinds of cards: The title on the smaller bibliography card. Notes from the sources on the larger note card.

Q: How to make the bibliography card? Record each source in ink on a separate 3X5 card. Use the same format on the bibliography cards List the following basic information on each card: Name of author(s) Title of work Facts of publication Page(s) of information

Upper right-hand of the card— the name of the library or place where you found the source. Upper left-hand corner of the card— cite the library call number of the source.

6d. Selecting your sources Skim a source to determine its usefulness Looking for major ideas to confirm the appropriateness of the source Don’t destroy the bibliography card

Hints on how to skim writing for major ideas: Glance at the preface Look up the subject in the index Read the chapter headings Read the first and last two sentences in a paragraph Glance at the opening paragraph Glance at the concluding paragraph Read every fourth or fifth sentence

6d-1 Primary and secondary sources The judgment and conclusions must be based on evidence. Primary sources are original writings by an author documents artifacts laboratory experiments other data that provide firsthand info.

Secondary sources are writings speeches other document about a primary sources. Papers should consist of primary and secondary sources of evidence.

6d-2 Evaluating sources Choose sources that cover your particular subject in depth Recognize the point of view in sources Verify one opinion against another Note the date of the evidence

Use common sense Check your evaluations against those of professionals Beware of statistics

Choose sources that cover your particular subject in depth That means choose only material that deals with the specific subject of your paper. Recognize the point of view in sources That means When writing a paper, recognize the title and opening Paragraphs whether or not coincide with your own paper.

Verify one opinion against another That means To check the opinion whether it is agreed with other experts. Note the date of the evidence That means In researching topics, you should seek the up-to-date data that is the most important.

Use common sense That means Use your common sense and attention to evaluating the source of evidence. Check your evaluations against those of professionals. That means Researcher should check the author whether he/she is qualified for giving you evaluation or not.

Beware of statistics That means What the statistics we use are specific and concrete with credibility.

6e-Note-taking Many students use computers to organize and save notes for later editing and incorporation into a rough draft. Remember, when you read and take notes, a research paper should contain a variety of material taken from different sources.

Your own ideas should be derived from information uncovered on the subject through research A reader should be 1. Aware of your conclusion 2. Aware of your evidence and reasoning

6e-1 Choosing the number of notes 6e-2 Formatting the note cards 6e-3 Using the computer to take notes 6e-4 Using a copy machine to take notes 6e-5 Kinds of notes

6e-1 Choosing the number of notes Consist of information from sources blend with your own commentary and interpretation In sum, the paper demands not only your opinionated conclusions but also your conclusions supported by other opinions.

6e-2 Formatting the note cards Use 4×6 cards for note-taking Write in ink rather than pencil Write down only one idea or quotation on each card

Identify the source of the note in the upper left- hand corner of the card Jot down in the upper right-hand corner of the card a general heading for the information the card contains

6e-3Using the computer to take notes In some ways, having your notes in electronic form is even better than having them scribbled down on cards. For one, use the cut-and-paste function. For two, don’t have to put up with cards scattered all over your desk or with the risk of losing one.

Use the computer for note-taking 1. number each note sequentially 2. insert beside the note more or less the same information

6e-4 Using a copy machine to take notes The popularity of this latest note-taking fad is easily seen in the long lines at the library copy machines. Why some students prefer copying to note- taking? Because it’s easier. All you have to do =>Insert a coin=>Press a bottom=>Have your copy.

Tips for copying: 1. Always write down details about the source on the top of the page immediately after copying it. 2. Be neat about the pages you copy.

6e-5 Kinds of notes There are four kinds of notes: a. The summary b. The paraphrase c. The quotation d. The personal comment

a. The summary A summary is a condensation of significant facts from an original piece of writing. Common sense should govern your use of the summary.

b. The paraphrase To paraphrase means to say in your own words what someone else has said. It is the most common form of note in research papers.

Paraphrasing achieves two purposes: 1. It shows you that you have mastered and absorbed the material well enough to be able to rephrase it. 2. I t gives your paper an even, consistent style.

c. The quotation A quotation reproduces an author’s words exactly as they were spoken or written, preserving even peculiarities of spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

How to avoid to overusing the quoted material? 1. To limit quoted material to no more than 10 percent of total paper. 2. To quote only when the authority of the writer is needed or when the material simply cannot be paraphrased or summarized.

To place quotation on note cards, follow these rules: Put quotation marks around the quotation. Introduce the quotation or place it in proper context. Copy quotations exactly as they are written.

d. The personal comment Personal comments are ideas, conjectures, or conclusions that occur to you during the research.

The notes generally are used to: explain a fuzzy statement. stress a particular point. draw a conclusion. clarify an issue. identify an inconsistency introduce a new idea. * If the personal comment deals with material on another card, staple the two cards together.

6f Plagiarism and how to avoid it

Plagiarism It is the act of passing off another’s words and ideas as your own.

To avoid plagiarism you must do the following: Provide a note for any idea borrowed from another. Place quoted material in quotation marks. Provide a bibliography entry at the end of the paper for everysource used in the text or in a note.

The following must be accompanied by a citation specifying author and source: Any idea derived from a known source Any fact or data borrowed from the work of another

Any especially clever or apt expression, whether or not it says something new, that is taken form someone else Any material lifted verbatim from the work of another. Any information that is paraphrased or summarized and then used in a research paper.

Be careful, don’t think only printed sources is plagiarism. Taking the freely electronic sources are also plagiarism.