English 12 Research Paper English 12 Research Paper

Agenda  What I learned in 10th grade  What I’ve learned since  What I learned in 10th grade  What I’ve learned since

Lessons From My First Research Paper  Any topic can work  Pick a topic that is manageable  Help from experts is valuable  You must really read and understand  Use your own words  Any topic can work  Pick a topic that is manageable  Help from experts is valuable  You must really read and understand  Use your own words

Search Term Success  Write about what you already know or think about your topic  Make a list of words and ideas related to your topic and alternative ways to identify your topic (for example, death penalty and capital punishment)  Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT)  Keep a journal of search successes and failures  Write about what you already know or think about your topic  Make a list of words and ideas related to your topic and alternative ways to identify your topic (for example, death penalty and capital punishment)  Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT)  Keep a journal of search successes and failures

Avenues to Information  eBooks - digitized content from “ real ” books  Books  Databases - for articles and other research data  Internet Search Engines  eBooks - digitized content from “ real ” books  Books  Databases - for articles and other research data  Internet Search Engines

Features to Look For  Topic lists and search term suggestions  Personal accounts and search alerts  Basic and advanced searching  Tools to narrow and expand your search  Citation help  Research help  Topic lists and search term suggestions  Personal accounts and search alerts  Basic and advanced searching  Tools to narrow and expand your search  Citation help  Research help

Tips for Better Searching  Be sure to spell your search terms correctly  Think of several different terms you could use to search for the same topic  Use quotation marks “” around a multiple word phrase  Change the type of search as necessary -- keyword searches the entire document for your terms, subject searches the topic labels associated with documents  Be sure to spell your search terms correctly  Think of several different terms you could use to search for the same topic  Use quotation marks “” around a multiple word phrase  Change the type of search as necessary -- keyword searches the entire document for your terms, subject searches the topic labels associated with documents

Finding Information is Just the Beginning!  Search  Read  Make notes or discuss with others  Repeat these steps as needed!  Then write  Search  Read  Make notes or discuss with others  Repeat these steps as needed!  Then write

Stay Organized!  Save all drafts, articles, etc. to a new folder on your desktop in your computer account labeled “Research Paper”  Have one folder or notebook dedicated to this project alone  If you print it, also save it electronically  Save all drafts, articles, etc. to a new folder on your desktop in your computer account labeled “Research Paper”  Have one folder or notebook dedicated to this project alone  If you print it, also save it electronically

Get Help When You Need It!  Check the Media Center site for more ideas and handouts  Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your teachers, the (kindhearted) Media Center Staff, your comrades  Check the Media Center site for more ideas and handouts  Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your teachers, the (kindhearted) Media Center Staff, your comrades