Research Paper Planning Guide Language Arts 11: Ms. Bower Dr. Peterson Librarian/Media Specialist NHS IMC The Research Project Calculator is based on the MINITEX project developed in part by University of Minnesota Libraries. Adapted & Modified by J. Peterson NHS 1/2011

Research Is…

EVALUATING COMMUNICATING ORGANIZING GATHERING INFORMATION Research Process FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS

Topic Selection: –Interesting to you –Your are willing to spend time with the topic –You can locate reliable sources on your topic FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS Research Process:

Preliminary Research Explore general information about your topic. Read, view, listen Websites, Encyclopedias, Books, Magazines, News Reports, etc. Write down potential keywords for searching & creating questions. Learn enough about your topic to identify that you can answer your question and write a thesis statement. FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS Research Process:

Military _______ Warfare _______ Chemical Weapons _______ Agent Orange General Topic: Narrower: Specific Invention: Topic Selection: Research Process: FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS

FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS Research Question What are the effects of agent orange on military warfare and the communities that came into contact with the chemical weapon? Military _______ Warfare _______ Chemical Weapons _______ Agent Orange General Topic: Narrower: Specific Invention: Topic Selection: Research Process:

Questions to ask before moving to next phase… Topic/Question to broad? –Answer in allotted space? Topic/Question to narrow? –Available resources? What’s your angle? –Effects of the invention on society at large. –Positive and negative effects FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS Research Process:

Think about ideas, concepts, and facts needed to answer questions Think about where to go to locate information (Online catalog, general & specialized databases, Web sites, primary resources, expert interviews) Think about keywords to use to retrieve information –Broad terms: library catalogs & research databases –Narrow terms: for Internet search engines Beginning the search… GATHERING INFORMATION Research Process:

Gather information from credible sources that contain recognized facts and expert opinion to answer your questions. GATHERING INFORMATION

How Do You Know A Source Is Credible? When selecting sources look at: Source AUTHORITY: Author's expertise Source OBJECTIVITY: Bias Source COVERAGE: Breadth and depth of information Source CURRENCY: Timeliness Source ACCURACY: Identify points of agreement and disagreement among sources

GATHERING INFORMATION Research Process: Locate Credible

IMC Research Resources: Databases by Subject/Category General Reference *Oxford Reference Online (INFOhio) *World Book Encyclopedia Online (INFOhio) *Gale Virtual Reference Library *Fact Cite: Lincoln Library Popular Topics/Current Events *Issues & Controversies *Opposing Viewpoints (DML) *Ebsco Topic Search (INFOhio) Science/Energy/Agriculture *Science Online (INFOhio) *Ebsco:All Databases: GreenFile (INFOhio) *ACCESS CODES ON YOUR HANDOUT Multidisciplinary *Student Research Center (INFOhio) *eLibrary (DML) *Academic Search Premier (INFOhio) *Ebsco:All Databases (INFOhio) Health/Medicine *Science Online (INFOhio) *Ebsco:All Databases: Alt Health Watch (INFOhio) *Ebsco:All Databases: Health Source (INFOhio) *Ebsco:All Databases: Medline (INFOhio) *Ebsco:All Databases: Psychology & Behavioral Sciences (INFOhio) History/Military *African American History (DML) *American History *Modern World History Don’t forget to check for books available at various libraries! Northmont IMC * Dayton Metro * Wright State * Sinclair Library* UD

Research Process: Does the information answer your question? What are the main ideas, supporting points and important details of the source? Is this new information to you? Can it be found in other sources? Does this information change what you know about the topic? If yes, how? While reading… GATHERING INFORMATION

Research Process Record & Cite Sources GATHERING INFORMATION

EVALUATING COMMUNICATING ORGANIZING GATHERING INFORMATION Research Process FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS

Research Process: Research questions: What are the effects of agent orange on military warfare and the communities that came into contact with the chemical weapon? FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS Thesis Statement: While agent orange advanced the U.S. chemical warfare operations during the Vietnam War, the weapon continues to devastate community growth and human life today.

Research Process: A. Organize notes B. Formulating outline ORGANIZING

Research Process: Writing the Draft Document Check Preparing Work Cited Preparing the Final Draft COMMUNICATING

Research Process: Evaluation Tools Noodletools Turnitin Teacher Peer Review Self Evaluation Happy with your grade? How can you improve? EVALUATING

COMMUNICATING ORGANIZING GATHERING INFORMATION Research Process FORMULATING TOPIC/QUESTION/THESIS

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