Research
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Resources for Student Research
- Develop Your Topic
- Search for Sources
- Evaluate Sources
- Cite Your Sources
- Organize Your Information
- Present Your Learning
RESOURCES COMING SOON - in the meantime, check out the other tabs!
Academic Databases
Academic databases are the gold standard for high-quality research. Unlike Google, the sources in an academic database are curated for their credibility, authority, accuracy, etc. Many of the scholarly journal articles in academic databases have been peer-reviewed (other experts checked the article pre-publication).
Searching Strategies
It's really easy to Google something, but it's a skill to Google well enough to be able to find the best sources for your research in the infinite stretch of the entire internet. Use these resources to add some searching strategies to your toolbox that will help you broaden and/or narrow your search until you find exactly what you're looking for.
Avoiding Plagiarism
- Before you begin
- Understand what plagiarism is
- Give yourself plenty of time before the deadline (start early)
- During the research process
- Create your citations as you find your sources
- Cite your sources in the text and in a bibliography
- Use quotation marks for direct quotes
- Avoid copy/paste
- Use physical index cards or a notebook
- Color code if you do copy/paste: one color for quotes (cite these), one color for paraphrasing words/ideas (cite these), one color for your own ideas/words
- Use sources in academic databases (they're high-quality and they have citations you can copy/paste into your Works Cited)
- Share your own, original ideas and thinking (it will make your project/essay stronger, too)
- Before you turn anything in
MLA Citations
Citing your sources is like showing the receipts for where you got your information. You must cite your sources to acknowledge the work of others and avoid plagiarism. Use these resources to guide you as you build your citations.
Collect Information
These free digital resources can help you collect your research as you come across good information. Traditional methods of using notebooks or index cards for this step are also highly recommended.
Organize Information
To ensure your final product is cohesive and comprehensible, it's important to organize the information you've gathered during your research before you begin writing your essay or creating your project.
RESOURCES COMING SOON - in the meantime, check out the other tabs!