10th Grade Research Overview
Visit this page OFTEN during your research process. If you follow these tips, you will end up with a better end product, and the process will be easier! Feel free to e-mail me or see me after school for help.
Click HERE to get access to all databases
Click HERE to access a video tutorial
Click HERE for help with citations
Advice - Research Process:
TOPIC SELECTION:
RESEARCH PROCESS & SOURCES:
WORKS CITED PAGES:
- Look at EBSCO Points of View or Opposing Viewpoints in Context to get topic ideas. If possible, choose a topic from the list on the Opposing Viewpoints in Context homepage.
- Search the card catalog to make sure there is a current (2017 or later) book published about your topic. Search ALL Troy Schools - you can place a hold on books from another school.
- Choose a topic you are interested in, not necessarily one that will be "easy". NONE of the topics are easy.
RESEARCH PROCESS & SOURCES:
- Start with research questions and brainstorm information you want to know about your topic. Be prepared to do some preliminary research just to understand the scope of your topic.
- First step: Create a Noodletools project so that you have a place to save your research citations.
- DATABASES:
- Databases are password protected. Make sure you have a password sheet with you at home, or look at the AHS Media Center page on Schoology (in the resources folder).
- On Opposing Viewpoints in Context, read the overview article if there is one.
- Browse Opposing Viewpoints In Context and Explora for High Schools. Save any articles by exporting them to Noodletools.
- Get citations for your articles as you go. It is frustrating to go back and find them later. You can find the citations by clicking on 'cite' or 'export' or 'citation tools'. You can always delete them later if you don't use the articles.
- Interact with your research as you read it. Start a preliminary outline as soon as possible. Color code your highlighting so it corresponds with major topics.
- BOOKS:
- You will need at least one book source. Search the entire school district as well as Troy Public Library.
- Books from our Media Center need to STAY in the Media Center.
- We can photocopy a portion of the book to make it easier for you to interact. All you have to do is ask!
- Cite your book sources on Noodletools. The fastest way is by importing the ISBN number.
- WEBSITES:
- Be careful of bias and incorrect information! You should be using primary source documents and scholarly resources. Use websites sparingly, and only after searching for the information in books or database articles.
- Feel free to ask whether a certain website is deemed as credible. A smart researcher does this to avoid wasting time.
- Cite websites using Noodletools - select 'website' and then 'webpage'.
WORKS CITED PAGES:
- Use Purdue Owl & Noodletools as your primary reference tools. Look at the tips in each section above.
- There is a Citation Guidelines page that you should refer to often!
- Export your works cited page to Word on Noodletools. Turn off your Safari pop-up blocker on your iPad if it doesn't pop up.
- Works Cited pages are all about format. Have multiple people look it over before turning it in.