Guidelines for Good Research How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Learn to Love History Research (or) How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Write a Really Awesome Paper for Ms. Graves

Step #1 – Chill Out Research is not hard if you have a plan, so take a deep breath and relax! Remember, the product is important, but the process is what you need to learn the most.

Step #2 – Google Your Topic To gain some general knowledge about your topic, “Google” the topic and see what pops up. Some internet sources are worthwhile to use, but most are just junk. Junk Sites: ▫Wikipedia (Wiki anything is JUNK!) ▫Sites on free hosting networks ▫Sites that do not specify their author(s) or sponsoring organization

Step #3 – Read a Good Book Books, articles, and journals are still the best place to gain secondary information (information written by historians). Clayton State has a very good library, but also use GIL to find books from Georgia State, UGA, or any university in the state of GA. They are all available through interlibrary loan.

Step #4 – Find a Time Machine Primary resources (items that were around during the time period) are easier to find with the internet, but also consider the following: ▫State and local archives ▫Oral histories/interviews ▫Documentary films ▫Museum exhibits ▫Conversations with experts in the field

Step #5 – Write, Write, Write Once you gather your resources, take plenty of notes. Index cards are good to use! Create an outline of the topics you want to discuss. This will help you stay on topic and not lose site of the big picture as you write. Sit down and write. You can remove or add later, but just get those thoughts down on paper.

Things to Remember Spelling and grammar are VERY IMPORTANT. Formatting is VERY IMPORTANT. Times New Roman 12, Double- spaced, 1 inch margins, heading on the right, no cover page. Opinion and fact are clear distinctions in history. There is no room for personal statements (“I” statements) in a research paper. This is not a persuasive paper, but an expository one. In other words, you are not trying to prove a point or argue a case, but rather presenting information about the historical reality of the topic. Citing your sources is CRITICAL and REQUIRED. We are using MLA, which means you will cite your sources in parentheses within the text. Also, your paper will have a finalized bibliography to show the full citation of your resources.

Questions? Concerns? Comments?