 Encyclopedias / Non-Fiction Books Bibliography…How to make one Plagiarism…Don’t cheat!

 “A book or set of books containing articles on various topics, usually in alphabetical order, covering all branches of knowledge or all aspects of one subject.”

 When you need general background information on a subject.  An Encyclopedia will not contain as much information as a textbook.  Use Non-Fiction books for more in-depth information on specific topics or people.  An Encyclopedia is a great place to start your research!

 World Book is a general Encyclopedia that tells about people, places, events, things and activities. It provides accurate information that is easy to find and easy to understand.

 First published in  Revised version is published every year.  Currently has 22 volumes.  Designed for students from elementary through high school.  Over 3,800 people are involved in writing and checking articles.  Topics are arranged alphabetically.

 Text  Visual aides (photos, drawings, maps, paintings, diagrams, charts)  List of related articles  Suggestions for further reading  Author

 Think of a topic you want more information on or a question you want to answer  Identify key words in order of importance  Choose the appropriate volume and begin your search (Remember…alphabetical order)

 To look up places or things, go to the volume that contains their first letter o Example: to look up koala bears you would go the K volume  To look up people, go to the volume that contains the first letter of their last name o Example: to look up Abraham Lincoln, you would go to the L volume  Don’t forget to use the guide words!

 Found at the top of each page  Tell you the first and last words listed on that page o Example: If the guide words are rabbit and rhino, would Russia be on that encyclopedia page? o No because R-U comes after both R-A and R-H

 A bibliography is a list of all of the sources you have used in the process of researching your work.  There are many sites that offer suggestions on how to make a Bibliography.  Search for “MLA Bibliography for Middle School Students.”  Your teacher will also give you specific guidelines.  Click HERE for an example of a good site.HERE

 Plagiarism is the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.  Most colleges and many high schools, including MHS, submit student papers to “Turnitin.org” which automatically checks them for plagiarism.  Committing plagiarism can result in an F on your paper, failure of the course, or expulsion from school.  Click HERE for a good guide to avoiding plagiarism.HERE

 Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia  It is written collaboratively…meaning anyone, anywhere, can change the content of an article  GOOD: experts from all over the world can contribute their knowledge on any given topic  BAD: some people purposely include inaccurate information to mislead others.  YOU CANNOT TRUST the information in Wikipedia and YOU CANNOT USE Wikipedia in any research paper.

 Doing “research” is a lot of fun and very interesting.  Organize your thoughts, plan out your paper, and don’t get behind. Work on it methodically every day.  Here’s a good Project Calculator to help you stick to your schedule.Project Calculator