Research tutorial How to begin research

The library Obviously the first place that you will turn to for research is the Library Media Center. You must make yourself aware of the many tools that our CC library has, so that you can efficiently conduct research on your topic. It is highly recommended that you visit the library and browse the theology collection (in person or use the card catalogue search on the CC library homepage) to locate books which may help you to better understand your chosen topic. Books that are very helpful to your understanding ought to be checked out. When you locate a book that you are going to use, it is wise to read the sections of the book pertaining to your topic and take notes. Each major source for your paper ought to have a dedicated “note page” which should include the bibliographic information (Purdue OWL: MLA Formatting and Style Guide) and a summary of the main points which you will include in your paper.

The note page As you read information which pertains to your topic write down notes to help you remember the key points so that you can incorporate that particular source into your paper. The following is an example note page (this document will also be posted on the blog):

Book resources When you have completed a note page, you might consider making photocopies of the sections that you cannot write your paper without. You will then have: a note page(es) with bibliographical info., and photocopies of the essential sections of the resource which you need to construct your paper. When you have finished this final step please return your book to the library so that other students may have access to it. For resources other than books (ex. Magazine articles, reference materials, etc.) – these ought to be immediately photocopied since these materials either cannot be checked out or they are cumbersome to carry home. Reference books (ex. Encyclopedias, Biblical commentaries, Bible dictionaries, etc.) are very popular resources and therefore you are encouraged to make photocopies of the necessary sections, it is not encouraged to check these books out although the library allows it.

Research from home The time you have to personally spend in the Library Media Center will be the most effective time. However, you will spend a great deal of time doing at home research. To do so, go to the library homepage (Library Media Center): Search the “blue box” to search the physical collection within the Library Media Center. Search the “gold box”/”CC PowerSeach” to search the millions of pages of digitized information. The PowerSearch accesses: academic journals, magazines, podcasts & multimedia.

Library Home page, Continued The library home page also has access to many databases and e-books. There is a specific “Theology/Religion” e-book database which give you digital access to: Encyclopedia of Religion New Catholic Encyclopedia World Religions Reference Library Contemporary American Religion Et cetera

Tools for Digital Articles Digital resources The majority of your resources will be digital resources found by using the CC PowerSearch (ex. E-books, magazine articles, academic journal articles, etc.). Be sure to sample a good amount of material from the PowerSearch and judge them according to common sense. *Be aware that many sources are biased according to a certain theological/political opinions, try therefore to find the most unbiased sources you can – this will allow you to form an opinion on your topic independent of the biases of the author(s). When you find good digital sources you can save them (you are encouraged to have a USB flash-drive), print them, listen to them, etc. Tools for Digital Articles

Research done! When you are confident that you have amassed enough material to effectively cover your topic, it is recommended that you write an outline for your paper. Please visit the Purdue Owl (Purdue Owl: How to Outline) to learn how to write an outline. The outline will help you organize your paper. Your paper should be written in the traditional format of: I. Introduction II. Body A. Main Point #1 B. Main Point #2, etc. Conclusion Use your research, along with your own personal insights, to write your paper.

Plagiarism When writing your paper be sure to always cite your sources of information (See Purdue Owl: How to Cite). Any thoughts or words which are not your own must be cited! Failure to do so constitutes theft of intellectual property and therefore is an automatic failure (0%). Please take care to give proper credit to the sources of information that makes it into your paper. A good general rule is: when in doubt, cite it. All of your citations then will be transferred to the works cited page, which will be the last page of your paper (it will not count toward the total number of pages however).

Works cited page The “Works Cited” page is an alphabetized list of all your sources in MLA (Modern Language Association) format. Each type of source (ex. Book, periodical/magazine, audio, video, etc.) has a specific format of citation. Please see the Purdue Owl to learn about the variety of formats for the specific sources: Info. on Works Cited Page. - Format for books - Periodicals - Websites, email and other electronic sources - Interviews, lectures, film & radio

The final product Your final product ought to be a perfect paper, with grammar, syntax, format, and sentence structure completely correct. It is highly recommended to complete a rough draft and get feedback on it from a parent, older sibling (preferably a college student), and/or your English teacher. The paper will be graded on content and the presentation of the content in a logical and efficient way (50%). On English usage, including proper MLA format in the paper and works cited page (40%). And on the mastery of the subject matter and the personal insightfulness of the author. (10%). The result should be an A+ for each student! If you follow this guide and learn the appropriate skills within, you will be successful on this research paper. Please let me know if you have any questions!