Third Nine Weeks Research Vocabulary

research Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Results of an investigation on a selected topic. Uses facts and reliable sources, not opinion! research “The History of the Bermuda Triangle.” “Bermuda Triangle: A Dangerous Place.”

source Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Primary source: from the time period. Secondary: a second-hand account. A place where you find information related to a topic. source Atlas Encyclopedia Online Database Biography .org or .gov sites Websites and writing that are “sketchy.”

citation Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples A source used in an essay, report, or book. Used to clarify, illustrate, provide evidence. citation Hopkinson, Deborah. Voices from the Disaster. New York: Scholastic, 2012. Print. A traffic ticket.

paraphrase Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Putting something in your own words. An accurate restatement that does not repeat the original text. paraphrase Bear Grylls explained that you should swim parallel to shore. Cut and paste.

evidence Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Facts, figures, details or quotations. Information that provides support for claims. evidence Titanic’s lifeboat capacity was 1,178. There were 2,208 people on board. There weren’t enough lifeboats for the people on board.

valid Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Founded on truth or fact. Can be proven. valid In 1945, five Navy planes were lost in an area near Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Thousands of planes and boats have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle.

thesis Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples A sentence that focuses a research paper. Overarching statement. Declarative. thesis The Titanic sinking remains one of the most intriguing tragedies of the 20th century. Under a starry sky, the Titanic sank in the icy Atlantic.

bibliography Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples A list of books, websites and other sources used in a research paper. Also called a “Works Cited” page. The last page of a research project. bibliography Hopkinson, Deborah. Voices from the Disaster. New York: Scholastic, 2012. Print. Footnotes, in-text citations.

relevance Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Importance to the matter at hand. Adds valid evidence or clarification to a topic. relevance Understanding icebergs is relevant when learning about the Titanic. Off-topic or unimportant information.

authority Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples A person looked to as an expert. Scientists, doctors, experts in a field of study. authority If you were researching nutrition, a dietitian or doctor would be an authority. When researching the Bermuda Triangle, someone who went there on a cruise is not an authority.

copyright Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples The legal right be the only one to copy, publish, or make money from writing, music, or art. Copyrighted material is registered in the US Copyright Office. copyright Copyrighted material is marked by a ©. “Fair use” (not for profit) and “public domain” items are exceptions.

text features Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Text features are written elements of a book or text. Text features help you find facts quickly. text features Index glossary, atlas, almanac paragraph, headings Illustrations, charts

graphic features Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Graphic features help you better understand text. Visual elements of a passage. graphic features Charts Graphs illustrations topic sentence paragraph

plagiarism Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples Stealing someone else’s work and presenting it as your own. Several words or entire sections of work copied from a source. . plagiarism Cut-and-paste Ideas . Paraphrase (ENTIRELY in your own words), then credit your source.

text structure Definition Characteristics Examples Non-examples How writing is organized. Shows the purpose of the writer. text structure compare and contrast cause and effect chronological order columns font Underline, boldface