Source Cards

Getting Started: This Power Point will help take you through the process of writing your source cards and making sure they are perfect. Once you’re ready to begin, move to the next slide.

Materials: Get out your blank index cards and a pencil. Turn your handbook to page 40. Pull up the Word document named “Source A” from your Home folder. Important note: if you have NO sources on the computer (if you are using ONLY books or pamphlets, SEE ME at this point for instructions). When you have all these materials out, move to the next slide.

Source Cards: Overview First, you will be making your source cards. These are index cards that will help you keep track of which source your research came from. You will make one source card for each source you plan to use in your paper (books, magazine articles, database articles, webpages, etc.) When you are ready to start making your source cards, move to the next slide.

Source Cards: Create! Take out one index card. On the back side, print your name, your teacher, and your hour. On the front, in the upper left hand corner, neatly write the letter “A.” When you have done this, move to the next slide.

Source Cards: Create! Look at your Word file for “Source A.” What type of source is it? (website, newspaper article from a database, or magazine article from a database?) Starting on page 40, find the page in your handbook that matches the type of source you have in “Source A.” If you’re not sure which type of source you have, come find me and ask for help. When you have found the right page, move to the next slide.

Source Cards: Create! Read the instructions and notes on the top of your Handbook page. No, don’t just skim them— they are important. Also read through the example provided on the same page. Once you have read through the notes on the top of the page, then fill in the blanks on the Handbook page with the correct information from your “Source A.” If you are having trouble finding the information you need, look at the next slide for some help.

Source Cards: Help If you didn’t copy and paste enough information into your Word file for “Source A,” you may need to go back to the original database or website to find the info. – If you have to go back to the original database, look for a button that says “cite” or “citation.” This button should help you find the information you need. If you can’t find the info, or if you are confused at this point, first try to figure it out yourself, then come ask me.

Source Cards: Create! Do you have all the blanks filled on your Handbook page? If there are any empty spaces, did you go back to the original source to try to find the information? If you answered yes to both these questions, move to the next slide.

Source Cards: Create! Now, bust out that index card you made earlier (the one with your name on the back, and “A” written in the corner). VERY CAREFULLY, copy down the information from your Handbook page onto the index card. Make sure to include not just what you wrote in the blanks, but all the punctuation and underlining too. There is an example of a source card for a website on the next slide.

Source Cards: Example A A “Fitness.” University of Minnesota. University of Minnesota. 20 Sep Web. 30 Sep

Source Cards: Create Congrats! You’ve just made your first Source Card. This one is now called “Source Card A.” Please look back at your Handbook page to make sure all your punctuation is correct, and all your info is in the right order before you move on…

Source Cards: Create Now it’s time to do it all over again for your next source: Take out another index card. On the back side, print your name, your teacher, and your hour. On the front, in the upper left hand corner, neatly write the letter “B.” Open your Word file named “Source B.”

Source Cards: Create! Look at your Word file for “Source B.” What type of source is it? (website, newspaper article from a database, or magazine article from a database?) Starting on page 40, find the page in your handbook that matches the type of source you have in “Source B.” If you’re not sure which type of source you have, come find me and ask for help. When you have found the right page, move to the next slide. If you are having problems, check out slides 24, 25, 26 and 27.

Source Cards: Create! Read the instructions and notes on the top of your Handbook page. No, don’t just skim them— they are important. Also read through the example provided on the same page. Once you have read through the notes on the top of the page, then fill in the blanks on the Handbook page with the correct information from your “Source B.” If you are having trouble finding the information you need, look at the next slide for some help.

Source Cards: Help If you didn’t copy and paste enough information into your Word file for “Source B,” you may need to go back to the original database or website to find the info. – If you have to go back to the original database, look for a button that says “cite” or “citation.” This button should help you find the information you need. If you can’t find the info, or if you are confused at this point, first try to figure it out yourself, then come ask your teacher.

Source Cards: Create! Do you have all the blanks filled on your Handbook page? If there are any empty spaces, did you go back to the original source to try to find the information? If you answered yes to both these questions, move to the next slide.

Source Cards: Create! Now, bust out that index card you made earlier (the one with your name on the back, and “B” written in the corner). VERY CAREFULLY, copy down the information from your Handbook page onto the index card. Make sure to include not just what you wrote in the blanks, but all the punctuation and underlining too. There is an example of a source card for a magazine article from a database on the next slide.

Source Cards: Example B B Skinner, Mary Jo. “Journalistic Integrity.” Journalistic Gazette 16 Jun. 2005: E5. ProQuest Newspapers. Web. 29 Sep

Source Cards: Create! Congrats! You’ve just made your second Source Card. This one is now called “Source Card B.” Please look back at your Handbook page to make sure all your punctuation is correct, and all your info is in the right order before you move on…

Source Cards: Create! Now you need to make Source cards for your other sources. You know how it works. You can refer back to the previous slides for help if you get stuck. Your next source will be C, then D, then E, etc. Go do it! When you have all of them done, move to the next slide. If you are having problems check out slides 24, 25, 26 and 27. If those slides don’t answer your questions, come ask me.

Woo Hoo! You are finished making all your Source cards! First, double check to make sure every single little thing on your Source Cards is correct. If anything is wrong, I will send you back to do it over. When you’re sure your cards are PERFECT, immediately bring all your Source cards AND your Handbook up to me. You may not move forward until I have checked your Source cards.

Good Job! If you have a yellow highlighter mark on all your Source Cards, that means they’re perfect. Some tips at this point: – If you want to use more sources, that’s great. You need to make a source card for them. You need a source card for every source you want to use in your paper. – It might be a good idea to find some way to make sure you don’t lose these cards, since you are required to turn them in with your final paper. Some people use a Ziploc baggie, some hole punch them, some use an envelope, and some use a rubber band. Just don’t lose them, because I can’t take your final paper without them! Once you’ve figured out a way not to lose your Source cards, come tell me you are finished, and I will get you started on the next part of the I-Search.

Source Cards: Troubleshooting Uh oh… What if I have 2 database articles from a magazine (or newspaper)? I already used up the space on that Handbook page! IF you have this problem, use a separate piece of paper and make your own little fill-in-the-blank, just like the one on the Handbook page. Then fill in the information for your new source. Use this page if you are having trouble making your source cards

Source Cards: Troubleshooting Uh oh… What if I don’t have any more sources in Word files, because I am using a lot of actual books, pamphlets, or real magazine or newspaper articles? IF you have this problem, just get your books, pamphlets or articles in front of you, turn to page 43 (books and pamphlets) or 44 and 45 (real newspaper and magazine articles), and follow the same process. Use this page if you are having trouble making your source cards

Source Cards: Troubleshooting Uh oh… What if I am doing careers, and I am using the Institute for Career Research, or the Occupation Outlook Handbook Online? IF you are using these source, you should turn to page 46 in your Handbook. There is a special way to write the citation on for these two sources. Use this page if you are having trouble making your source cards

Source Cards: Troubleshooting Uh oh… What if I don’t have all of my sources yet? IF you don’t have all of your sources yet, you should make source cards for all the sources you DO have. THEN, work on finding your remaining sources. Bet you wish you had taken care of this earlier, huh? Use this page if you are having trouble making your source cards