1. Lesson 2: Planning Research Topics Results of Good Research Planning Elements of a Research Plan

2. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Planning Research Effective research planning will lead to: 1. Finding enough information 2. Finding varied sources 3. Finding quality information

3. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Finding Enough Information Finding enough information depends upon maximizing your coverage of quality sources. Internet Research Library Research Living Sources

4. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Varying Sources Varying sources means not only using different sources but using different kinds of sources. Are your sources primary or secondary sources? Are they objective or subjective? Are they stable or unstable?

5. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Primary vs. Secondary Sources Primary sources tend to be more accurate and authoritative. A Primary Source represents the original words of a writer A Secondary Source analyzes somebody else’s work

6. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Objective vs. Subjective Sources Examples of objective sources  Experiments  Survey Results  Carefully Designed Studies Examples of subjective sources  Blogs  Op-ed Essays  Government Propaganda

7. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Stable vs. Unstable Sources If a source is from the web, determine how stable it is How long has it been around? Is the site routinely updated? Are print versions available? Is the site associated with a reputable organization?

8. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Finding Varied Sources Review your source list as you research: If your sources all come from web research… ...focus on adding library resources. If your topic lends itself to living sources…  …consider conducting interviews or surveys.

9. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Finding Quality Sources Determining if your sources are authoritative:  Have your sources been peer reviewed?  Are your sources current? Check publication dates.  Have the authors of your sources been cited in other academic papers?

10. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Evaluating Books When evaluating books, consider:  Who is the audience? The general public or more knowledgeable readers?  Is the author considered an expert?  Is there a carefully documented bibliography?  How have critics reacted to the book?

11. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Evaluating Online Sources When evaluating online sources,  Always keep your purpose in mind  Favor government and educational sites over commercial sites  Favor documents with authors  Favor recently update sites  Favor sites that document their claims

12. ENGLISH COMPOSITION TWO Authoritative Sources Authoritative sources can come from: Journals  Such as The American Psychiatric Association, Architectural Digest and Journal of Science. Professional websites  Such as National Council of Teachers of Math, American Library Association, and the Journeyman Plumber. Books written by experts in the field Organizations  Such as the American Wildlife Federation also qualify. Librarians can help you locate authoritative sources.