1. Locating Resources For: Scientific Research October 2012

2. Search Your Topic Go to the library and read everything you can on your topic. Gather information on your topic. Searching the Literature: Understand the difference between primary and secondary sources. Start by consulting general references. You need to have a solid background and some sense of your aims and scope of the project before plunging into primary literature. Plan your search using vocabulary carefully. Key words and authors’ names are the chief means of accessing information in databases as well as on the Internet. Also, be aware that ample time is needed to do a thorough literature search. Plan your search using vocabulary carefully. Key words and authors’ names are the chief means of accessing information in databases as well as on the Internet. Also, be aware that ample time is needed to do a thorough literature search.

3. Primary sources A primary source is an original object or document -- the raw material or first-hand information. Primary sources include historical and legal documents, eye witness accounts, results of an experiment, statistical data, pieces of creative writing, and art objects.

4. Secondary sources A secondary source is something written about a primary source. Secondary sources include comments on, interpretations of, or discussions about the original material. Secondary source materials can be articles in newspapers or popular magazines, book or movie reviews, or articles found in scholarly journals that evaluate or criticize someone else's original research.

5. Science Buddies-Planning Worksheet http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/teacher_resources.shtml#scheduleworksheet

6. Choose the Best Search for your information need http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html

7. Centennial’s Online Databases Gale Student Resources in Context http://infotrac.galegroup.comGale Student Resources in Context http://infotrac.galegroup.com http://infotrac.galegroup.com Professional CollectionProfessional Collection Virtual Reference CenterVirtual Reference Center Gale Science in ContextGale Science in Context SIRS Researcher http://ars.sirs.com/denied?sks.sirs.com/SIRS Researcher http://ars.sirs.com/denied?sks.sirs.com/ http://ars.sirs.com/denied?sks.sirs.com/

8. HC Library’s Online Databases Current magazines (EBSCO's MasterFILE Premier)Current magazines (EBSCO's MasterFILE Premier)Current magazinesCurrent magazines Online reference collection aimed at all ages (Gale's Virtual Reference Library)Online reference collection aimed at all ages (Gale's Virtual Reference Library)Online reference collection aimed at all agesOnline reference collection aimed at all ages Science magazines, and more! (EBSCO's Science Reference Center)Science magazines, and more! (EBSCO's Science Reference Center)Science magazines, and more!Science magazines, and more! http://www.hclibrary.org

9. Additional Online Resoures From: The Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/teachers/additionalresources/relat edresources/science/science.html http://www.loc.gov/teachers/additionalresources/relat edresources/science/science.html http://www.loc.gov/teachers/additionalresources/relat edresources/science/science.html http://www.loc.gov/teachers/additionalresources/relat edresources/science/science.html http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/ http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/ http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/ http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/resources.html http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/resources.html http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/resources.html

10. Websites of interest Molecular Biology Resource Molecular Biology Resource http://mbcf.dfci.harvard.edu/cmsmbr/ InfoMine InfoMine http://infomine.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/search?physci/ Sci Central Sci Central http://www.scicentral.com/ Science Daily Science Daily http://www.sciencedaily.com/ Science.gov Science.gov http://www.science.gov/

11. Check this out... http://www.plos.org/

12. Consider: Background research is also important to help you understand the theory behind your experiment. In other words, science fair judges like to see that you understand why your experiment turns out the way it does. You do library and Internet research so that you can make a prediction of what will occur in your experiment, and then whether that prediction is right or wrong, you will have the knowledge to understand what caused the behavior you observed. You do library and Internet research so that you can make a prediction of what will occur in your experiment, and then whether that prediction is right or wrong, you will have the knowledge to understand what caused the behavior you observed.

13. If you need further research assistance: Don’t hesitate to ask us Don’t hesitate to ask us Remember, we have many valuable print resources (Books) available in your media center collection Remember, we have many valuable print resources (Books) available in your media center collection Thank You for your attention!