AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY TO RESEARCH INTRODUCTION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL RESEARCH

INTRODUCTION Welcome to middle school! You are in for quite an exciting time as you transition from elementary, through the middle and into high school. Along this journey you will need many skills to help you be the best you. One of the basics you’ll need is an introduction to the world of research. From this point on, you will be required to present many research papers and projects so; it’s best to get the basic “how to” down now. So let’s get started! Using various forms of technology, you will explore the steps to develop a successful research paper. At the end of this journey you will be able to successful locate and evaluate useful information, extract and organize information, and write a research paper. Essential Questions: What is the process for finding useful research information? What is the process for using research information in my paper? What is the process for preparing and writing my research paper?

REDESIGNED INTRODUCTION USING THE PRETRAINING PRINCIPLE A Search Engine is a program that helps people find information on the world wide web (WWW). Search Engines Google & Yahoo are both Search Engine Brainstorming helps you think or an Idea or Topic BEFORE you begin writing a your research paper. To begin Brainstorming simply write down or name all of the IDEAS that come to your mind- Don’t be afraid to think “Outside of the Box” When we Evaluate we assess or judge or put an value on the importance of something

TASK Working in groups of 3’s, you will adventure through steps to develop a successful research paper. Along the way, you will visit websites, view videos & participate in interactive web activities that will provide detailed information about how your group should: brainstorm and select a research topic, write a statement of purpose, narrow down & evaluate your information, use search engines successfully, search the internet for trustworthy information, & write your research paper.

PROCESS Step 1 – Brainstorm and Select a Topic Your group will brainstorm and decide on a research topic. The topics should relate to the subject being covered in your classroom. Visit and spend a little time brainstorming online. Step 2 -Writing a Statement of Purpose Next the group will write a statement detailing what you want to learn about in your research project. This statement will guide your group as you work so that you will read and take notes only on what’s needed for your paper. Step 3 -Develop an Overview of the Topic As a group, begin to ask each other questions regarding your research paper. Think about:  What questions to I want to answer?  What kind of information will I be searching for?

PROCESS Step 4 - Narrow Down & Evaluate your Information Now the group should begin finding information to use in your research paper. Begin examining various sources by visiting some of the sites listed below. Each group member should visit one site so that all team members are familiar with the many sources available. What sources can I use?  Print Sources-Books, Magazines & Newspaper Articles, Maps or Atlases, Encyclopedias  Electronic Sources- Encyclopedias On-line, Databases On-line, World Wide Web, Magazines & Newspapers On-line, Video Recordings Things to Ask Yourself  Does the information give you answers to your questions?  Does the information give you new ideas, or lead you to other sources?  Can I understand the information?

PROCESS Step 5 - Using search engines successfully will help your groups gather the best information. Your success in using search engines depends on 3 things: 1. The search engine you choose to use 2. The way you enter your key words 3. How well you evaluate the information on a site Use the link below and take 15 minutes to visit some of the many search engines available, Bookmark search engines that you think will be helpful in your research. List of Search Engines

PROCESS Step 6 - Now your group should begin focusing on getting the best information you can from searches. Typing in the best keywords and phrases will be very important. Begin by learning how to use 3 small BUT, important words – AND, OR and NOT. Use AND, OR and NOT link words and phrases together to help you get a good list of sites, so you don't waste a lot of time looking at sites that aren't useful.  Too many hits or hits that you don’t want= try using AND  If you are getting hits with words that you don’t want= try using NOT  If you are not getting enough hits= try using OR Try visiting one of the two sites below and check out the videos regarding how to get the best search results

PROCESS Step 7 -Now that your group has found some websites your must determine if they are the best sites to get Information from. Your group must evaluate website’s:  Reliability of the author  Accuracy of the information  Bias of the author/site  Currency of the site Visit the link below and view the 5 minute video to learn more about finding Trustworthy website s for research.

PROCESS Step 8 - You are almost ready to begin writing your paper but, first lets take some time to learn about Citing your work. Citing your work lets people know where your information comes from. How to Cite within your paper “No nation in the world has so many drastic problems squeezed into so small a place, under such urgent pressure of time and heavy burden of history, as Israel" (Tuchman 123). How to cite for your Reference Page Citing Books Remember–Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of book: Subtitle. Location: Publisher. Example - Williams, L., & Edwards, C (2008). Strategies that work: Teaching Middle School Bullies. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. Citing Articles from Print - Journals, Magazines & Newspapers Remember - Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle. Title of Journal, vol,(issue), pg number. Example - Hurst, P. (2010, September 15). I survived Middle School bullies. The Sylvan-Gazette, pp. A3, A8-10. Citing from Online Journals, Magazines, & Newspapers Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article: Subtitle. Title of Journal, volume(issue), page numbers. Retrieved from source. Example: Alexander, Linda B, Smith Robert C. & Carey James O. (2003). Education reform and the school library media specialist. Perceptions of principals. Knowledge Quest Journal. 32(2) Retrieved from:

PROCESS Let’s Practice Citing Our Work! Visit one of the sites below and practice citing the source. Take a look at your teammate’s work and see if you all have cited the source alike. If not, discuss as a group which is correct.

PROCESS Step 9 - Preparing to Write Your Paper An Outline will:  Help you stay on course and not get off-track when you put your final paper together  Make sure you have enough information to support your Thesis Statement  Help you figure out the order in which your subtopics will appear in your paper A Thesis Statement is a: Strong statement that you can prove with evidence. It is not a simple statement of fact. Your thesis statement will be the main idea of your entire project. It can be thought of as your point of view.

Step 9 - Preparing to Write Your Paper An Outline will:  Help you stay on course and not get off-track when you put your final paper together  Make sure you have enough information to support your Thesis Statement  Help you figure out the order in which your subtopics will appear in your paper REDESIGNED PROCESS USING MULTIMEDIA PRINCIPLE Words & Picture Work Better Together Than Alone

PROCESS Step 10 -It is finally time for your group to begin writing your research paper. Make an outline Before you begin writing, take some time to put all of your notes and information in the order they will appear in your paper. You can use your outline as a guide. You don't want to be searching for these things as you are writing. Start with a couple of sentences that introduces your topic to your reader. You do not have to give too much detailed information; save that for the body of your paper. Make these sentences as interesting as you can. Through them, you can hook a reader and get them very interested in the line of thinking you are going to develop in your paper. Then state your thesis, which may be done in one or more sentences. The average length of an introduction is one half a page. The body of that paper will include more information about the topics in your outline and your evidence for why it supports your thesis statement Remember that you need to cite all borrowed material immediately after you use it. A conclusion is, in some ways, like your introduction. You restate your thesis and summarize your main points of evidence for the reader. You can usually do this in one paragraph. Once you are done, do a first proof read to check for spelling and grammatical errors.

EVALUATION Beginning 1 pt. Developing 2 pts. Capable 3 pts. Excellent 4 pts. Score Demonstrates ability to write a Statement of Purpose Demonstrates skills needed to effectively use search engines to locate information Demonstrates skills needed to evaluate information for accuracy and reliability Demonstrates ability to write a research paper – including Introduction, Body and Conclusion elements Group Participation

CONCLUSION Congratulations! We have completed your journey through Introduction to Research. Hopefully, you have a clear understanding of the steps need for a successful research paper. Revisit the websites from this journey because there is plenty of fun yet, educational information that will be very helpful to your as you set off on new journeys. Good Luck!

REFERENCES Websites Included: