Homer Community School Student Research Handbook Grades 7 - 12
Welcome to Homer’s Library Media Center. The library is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for all students, faculty, and staff. Additional times may be available. Check with Ms. Johnson to set up times and dates.
Homer Library Mission Statement: The mission of the library media program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. --Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs (1988), p.1
1 Purpose: This hand book is designed to provide you with information on the services and resources that the library provides and to help you complete research projects successfully and confidently.
Table of Contents
Your Library Media Center – a visual reference Page 3
References Resources Available - print Page 4
Online Sources Page 5
Newspapers and Magazines Page 5
The Research Process Step 1: Getting Started Page 6
Step 2: Finding Information Page 7
Step 3: Evaluating Sources Pages 8 - 9
Step 4: Gathering Information Page 10
Step 5: Turning Research into Writing Pages 11 - 12
Plagiarism Pages 12 -13
Copyright Law and Fair Use Page 13
Citing Sources Pages 14 - 15
Creating a Works Cited Page Page 15
MLA Documentation Examples Pages 16 – 17
Works Cited Sample Page 18
Sources Used in Handbook Page 19
2 K-6 Nonfiction
K-6 Fiction Reference Section
Printer
7-12 Fiction Fiction
Circulation Desk
Internet Research (12 computers) 7-12 Nonfiction 3 Reference Resources
Primary research materials are those types of resources to consult as a first step in the research process to learn basic information on your topic as well as to broaden or narrow your research topic.
These books can be found in the media center’s reference section:
Dictionaries and Thesauruses
Webster’s New World Dictionary 1995© Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Dictionary 2004© Roget’s II The New Thesaurus 1995©
Encyclopedias - General
World Book Encyclopedia 2006© The New Encyclopedia Britannica 2003©
Encyclopedias – Specialty
The 21st Century Webster’s International Encyclopedia 2003© The Environment Encyclopedia 2001© The Encyclopedia of Nebraska 1999© Indians of Nebraska 1999© Encyclopedia of Social Issues 1997© Encyclopedia of World Terrorism 1997© Amazing Animals of the World 1995© Crimes and Punishment: The Illustrated Crime Encylopedia 1994© The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Wildlife 1991©
Almanacs
The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2008© The World Almanac for Kids 2008©
Atlas
World Almanac Atlas of the World 2006© Rand McNally Atlas 2002©
Biographies
The Biographical Dictionary of African Americans 1999© Reference Library of American Women 1999© Nebraska Biographical Dictionary 1999©
4 Online Resources
For Book Sources, try these:
Homer Online Card Catalog
South Sioux City Public Library – online catalog http://www.southsiouxcity.org/department/index.asp?fDD=11-0 or go to http://www.southsiouxcity.org/departments/ and click on the Library link
Sioux City Public Library – online catalog http://www.sc.lib.ia.us/
Free Web Sites to use:
NebraskAccess – A statewide database, Nebraska’s Virtual Library link you to thousands of magazine, journal, and news articles, , biographical information and more. This link is marked under Favorites on all library computers. See Ms. Johnson for the password. You may also access www.nlc.state.ne.us/nebraskaccess from home and use a valid driver’s license for your password. eLibrary – a subscription database through ESU#1, eLibrary provides a broad collection of magazines, newspapers, books, images, maps, transcripts, links, etc. This link is marked under Favorites on all library computers. For home access, go http://www.elibrary.com/libweb/elib/do/login . User # 35-39020, password is “bigchalk”
IPL Reading Room – The Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org/div/reading/ Links t o3 databases: books, magazines, & newspapers from around the world.
Research Tools - http://www.itools.com/research/ Links to online dictionaries, atlases, biographical sources, thesauruses, etc. Newspapers and Magazines
Newspapers Sioux City Journal Omaha World Herald
Magazines – current to past five years Time Newsweek U.S. News and World Report Sports Illustrated
5 6 The Research Process
Step 1: Getting Started Select a subject
Unless your subject has been assigned, choose one that genuinely interests you. You’ll be spending a lot of time with it.
Consider how much and what kinds of resources you’ll be able to find on the subject.
Survey the subject
Read to learn! Read as much as you can about your subject. You’re looking for an issue or aspect on which to focus.
General works, such as encyclopedias, are good places to start, both in print and online.
Also, do a quick search of your subject in the library online catalog to get an idea of the kinds of resources available.
Jot ideas down as they come to you. Do it now or you’ll forget! Here is advice from Purdue University on this process:
Brainstorm. Gather as many good and bad ideas, suggestions, examples, sentences, false starts, etc. as you can. Perhaps some friends can join in. Jot down everything that comes to mind,including material you are sure you will throw out. Be ready to keep adding to the list at odd moments as ideas continue to come to mind. (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_plan2.html)
Find a focus
Narrow the subject down into a manageable topic.
Some questions to ask: Is the topic one that can be studied in depth? Is the topic too big or too narrow for the project requirements? Is the topic too complicated or too simple?
State your topic in a preliminary thesis statement. A good thesis can be proven by facts gathered in research.
7 Step 2: Finding Information
Locate Book Sources
Begin your search by looking for books in our library using the online card catalog. Book sources can often give you more specific information than article in print and online. Tip: Once you find a book, check its table of content and index to see if the book is relevant to your topic.
Search the South Sioux City Public Library’s and the Sioux City Public Library’s online catalogs to see what kinds of book sources they can offer you.
Locate Periodical Sources
Use effective search strategies you learned in class to find online sources. The Internet Public Library has a great breakdown of steps to effective online searching strategies to jog your memory: http://www.ipl.org/div/aplus/skills.htm.
Check the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature in the reference section.
Use online databases with access to news, magazine, and scholarly articles.
Read before you print. Think before you print.
Develop a Working Source List
Once you’ve found resources, it’s the perfect time to record the bibliographic information. Do it correctly now to save time and headaches later.
Save this in a notebook or, better yet, on index cards which can be rearranged as your research progresses.
8 Step 3: Evaluating Sources
Evaluate Books and Articles
Check the author’s credentials. Is he or she an expert in the particular subject area? Is he or she associated with a reputable institution or organization?
Check the date of publication. Depending on the subject, this is crucial. For example, if your topic is in the area of science and technology and your source is more than a few years old, the information is most likely outdated. Look for up-to-date information.
Check the book edition. Has the book been revised? If so, this may indicate updated information, use, and reliability.
Check the title of the journal. Is the article from a popular magazine or a scholarly journal? Scholarly journals are usually associated with academic research and cite sources. Popular magazines are more flashy and appealing but don’t necessarily provide citations of where information was gathered. Scholarly journals are often more in depth and more complex, meant to inform the reader on research. Popular magazines are simpler, less in depth, meant to entertain as well as inform.
Evaluate Internet Resources
Check the web site’s APPROACHABILITY. Is the site available on a consistent basis? Does it load in a reasonable amount of time? A site should also be well-organized so that what information is available and how it is accessed is clear and direct.
Check the site’s CURRENCY. Good sites will usually tell you how often they are updated and when the last update took place. Sometimes this information is difficult to locate.
Check the site’s AUTHORITY. The best sites will clearly identify who is providing the information and what, if any, organizational affiliation the site has. They will also indicate the sources or methods from which the information is derived, usually in a bibliography or works cited.
Check the site’s ACCURACY. Too many people today assume that if it is on the Internet, it must be true. When the information you find is consistent with similar information from
9 other sources (books, other quality websites), the more you can usually trust the accuracy of the information.
Some more advice about evaluating sources online:
TIP #1: The main thing to remember when evaluating Internet sites is to investigate beyond the file or page you are looking at.
. Check for a “Read M” or FAQ file or for a link at the bottom of the web page which might give you valuable information about the people publishing the site.
. Look for e-mail addresses to contact the site’s author. This can be an indicator of a more credible source. If you have questions, you can email the web site author.
TIP #2: Another place which may contain a clue is the address of the site. The Internet assigns different codes to different types of sites. Are you looking at . . . an .org site (nonprofit organization),
. . . a .gov site (federal, state, or local government),
. . . an .edu site (educational institution),
. . . or a .com site (commercial enterprise)?
. . . What is the domain name?
All of these clues, especially when combined, may help determine the accuracy and authority of the information you are getting.
10 Step 4: Gathering Information
Collecting
Read. Take notes of what you’re learning about your topic – concepts, issues, problems. What should you record? Some more tips from Purdue University:
Information that supports and develops your thesis statement. Succinct, short phrases – but not too sketchy. Facts that are repeated in multiple sources. Opposing viewpoints. Bibliographical details (author, title, call number, publisher, databases, URLs)
Keep track of where your information is coming from. This will be important when you do your citations within the research paper and at the end of the paper.
Look for answers to the 5W’s and H (Who? What? when? Where? Why? How?)
Organize your ideas as you gather them. Look for connections between ideas. You might notice some notes that belong together. You might notice a gap in information, or you might notice that the information isn’t very balanced, with too much information about one aspect of your topic and not much about another aspect. Fill in the gaps.
Take more notes than you think you will need. When it comes to writing the paper or project, it is easier to throw out than it is to go back and scrounge for new stuff.
Paraphrasing
Don’t write exactly what you read. The key is to paraphrase. Use your own words and your own sentence structure to capture the essential information you are researching. Here is some great advice on how to paraphrase from Purdue University:
Steps to effective paraphrasing
1. Read the passage to be paraphrased twice. Then read it again. 2. Circle any words or phrases you don’t understand. 3. Use the dictionary for the definition of the word or phrase.
11 4. Read the passage again putting your definition of the unfamiliar words in the phrase. 5. Read through the passage. Translate the phrases into your own words, making sure to change the structure of the sentences. 6. Review your paraphrase, looking for errors and completeness.
Record the source, including the page, on your note card so that you can credit it easily when you write your paper.
Step 5: Turning research into writing
Organizing
When you are finished writing notes, decide on the order in which you want to present the aspects of your research: Chronological, Topical, Order of Importance, Problem-Solution, Cause-Effect.
Prepare a simple outline to organize your ideas.
Determine you main points from the questions or headings on your notes. These become your Roman numerals on the outline.
Supporting details are the notes giving answers to your questions or providing more specific information which falls under the headings. These details come after capital letters on your outline. See the sample below:
Sample Outline Format I. Introduction – A. Hook, Background of the Problem B. Thesis
II. Issue or Aspect of Topic #1 A. Supporting detail #1 B. Supporting detail #2 C. Etc.
III. Issue or Aspect #2 A. Supporting detail #1
12 B. Supporting detail #2 C. Etc.
IV. Conclusion A. Summary B. Final impression
Please note: Your research may require that you need more than four Roman numerals. You may have more than two issues, aspects, or subtopics to present. This outline is meant as one example only. You may find other outline resources from your instructor or online at the website: http://www.coping.org/studyskills/outline.htm##1.
Writing a First Draft
Create an interesting opening paragraph that will grab your audience’s attention or provide background information about your topic
Use your outline and refer to your notes to begin the body of your paper. Your body paragraphs will answer the question or address the issue you set forth in the beginning of your research.
Paraphrase, paraphrase, paraphrase. Avoid PLAGIARIZING your sources. See below for more information on plagiarism.
Skip lines in your first draft to allow room for revision.
Conclude your research with a summary of ideas.
Consider the “So what?” factor. Why is it important for your audience to learn about your topic? How does it effect them? Tell them!
So What is PLAGIARISM . . . ?
The definition of plagiarism can be found in any dictionary and on numerous websites, but one of the simplest explanations is found on the “Against Plagiarism” website. It tells us:
A simple definition of plagiarism is: Copying some text and using it without indicating that it was copied or where it was copied from.
13 To protect yourself from a charge of plagiarism, be sure to use quotation marks around any copied text you use, and at the same time, be sure you clearly show where you got the text.
These conditions apply to all printed materials as well as to all Web pages. It makes no difference where the text came from, or who wrote it, or which organization published it.
To put it another way: If you didn't write the words from your own mind, without looking at anyone else's words, then enclose those words in quotation marks and include a clear and accurate reference to the source.
http://www.macloo.com/cheat/general4.htm, Retrieved 12/10/08 . . . And Why Should I Care?
Using someone else’s work without getting permission and/or the citing source in your research is plagiarism and it is against the law.
You need to understand the severity of plagiarizing. Prominent politicians, musicians, writers, executives have lost their jobs, have lost their reputations, and have been sued for using others’ ideas and not giving credit to the sources.
If you plagiarize in high school, you will, at the very least, earn an “F” for the research project. You may well end up failing the class, depending on the weight of the research project in that particular class.
If you plagiarize in college, you will, at the very least, earn an “F” for that project. You may fail the class. You may even be expelled from the school.
So before you ruin your career before it even starts, understand copyright laws and learn how to accurately document borrowed ideas.
Copyright Law and Fair Use Guidelines - What Are They?
Copyright law protects the rights of a person who creates any kinds of writings, photos, images, and/or sound or video recordings. We, as researchers, need to get permission from these creators before using their works in our own research. Since this would be nearly impossible, to write to each
14 and every person responsible for the information we hope to use, the courts have given us a way to use the information without breaking the law through fair use guidelines.
Essentially what these fair use guidelines tell us is that a small percentage of an original piece of information may be used in research as long as you include a bibliography of any work you use.
A great resource for understanding copyright law and fair use can be accessed through Kathy Schrock’s Copyright and Fair Use Guide at this web address:
http://kathyschrock.net/pdf/copyright_schrock.pdf
Let me show you :
. . . Why You Cite Your Sources
You cite to give credit to the people who did the initial research. You cite so that your own research is more credible, more believable. You cite so that your readers will know where to find more information about your research. You cite so your teachers know that you used your brain and completed the work on your own.
. . . How You Cite Your Sources
Your teachers in Homer will expect that you use MLA style when citing sources. The MLA text is available both in print and online. A basic summary of citation rules is presented here, but please use the other sources or consult with Ms. Johnson if you have further questions.
Basic In-Text Citations
When you refer to information from other authors within the body of your paper, you will use parenthetical citation. What this means is that after you have written the
15 paraphrased or quoted information, you will place within parentheses the author’s last name, a space, and the page number on which you found the information. It will look something like this:
Some Polish Catholics were willing to hide Jews as an act of resistance, a gesture of kindness, or even a way to receive payment (Berenbaum 118).
If there is no author available, use a shortened form of the document’s title instead, making sure to mark the title with quotation marks.
Your in-text citation should correspond with your Works Cited page, which comes at the end of your project. The above example on the Works Cited page will look a bit like this:
Berenbaum, Michael. The World Must Know: The History of the Holocaust as Told in
the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Boston: Little, Brown, 1993.
Do I ALWAYS have to cite sources?
Yes . . . And No.
Let’s look at the NO first: If what you are discussing in your paper is common knowledge, anything that is generally known to everyone, you do not need to give sources.
The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln. This is common knowledge and does not need an in-text citation after it.
However, if in your research you report that the population of Nebraska increased by 8.6 percent between 1990 and 2000, you would need to cite the source, as that statistic is not commonly known (Federation for Immigration Reform).
Now to the YES: Nearly every paragraph of your research paper should have some in-text documentation. The exceptions, if there are any, would come in your introductory paragraph and your conclusion, only if you present your own thoughts and ideas rather than the ideas of others.
Also remember that every in-text citation you use within your paper MUST correspond with an entry on your Works Cited page.
How Do I Create a Works Cited Page?
16 Easy. Take the bibliographic information you recorded for each source way back in the beginning of your research and type it up. Follow the special guidelines presented, of course:
Author comes last name first, comma, first name, period. Alphabetize each entry by first letter. Underline or italicize titles of books, magazines, newspapers, films, etc. Use quotation marks around titles of shorter works, such as articles, short stories, poems. Use reverse indentation. The first line will remain flush left while any other lines (the 2nd, 3rd, etc.) will be indented. Double space all entries and between entries. Follow the punctuation provided on the samples.
On the following pages you will find MLA documentation examples for most of the basic sources used in research.
MLA Documentation
BOOKS
One Author Gorman, Elizabeth. Prairie Women. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986.
Book with two authors Caper, Charles and Lawrence T. Teamos. How to Camp. Philadelphia: Doubleday, 1986.
Book with three or more authors Ellis, Doris et. al. History of Japan. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc. 1989.
An editor Padgett, Thomas, ed. Psychology in the Trenches. Los Angeles: Nowell Book Co., 1990.
ENCYCLOPEDIAS
With author Abraham, Scott. “Astrology.” World Book. 2006 ed.
17 No author “Great Wall of China.” World Book. 2003 ed.
PERIODICALS
Magazine article - weekly Carlisle, Angie. “The Next President.” U.S. News and World Report. 6 Dec. 2008: 35-42.
Magazine article – monthly Clark, Terry. “Living with HIV.” Columbus Monthly. March 2006: 54-62.
Newspapers Jordan, Steve. “Recession Hits Home.” Omaha World-Herald. 12 Dec. 2008. A1+.
WEBSITES - personal or professional
Schrock, Kathy. “Webquest in Our Future – The Teacher’s Role in Cyberspace.” Kathy Schrock’s
Guide for Educators. 07 December 2008.
“Great Gatsby Study Guide.” Studyguide.org. 5 January 2002. 11 March 2003.
MISCELLANEOUS
Video Fahrenheit 9/11. Dir. Michael Moore. Lions Gate Films, 2006.
Television “Torture.” Narr, Scott Pelley. Sixty Minutes. CBS. WCBS, New York. 30 March 2008.
18 Pamphlet (treat like a book)
Personal Interview Pirner, Randy. Personal interview. 07 Dec. 2008.
For more complete instructional guides, check the MLA Handbook in the reference section.
19 Now it’s time to put it all together in a Works Cited page. Here’s a sample:
Works Cited
Chambers, Rick. “No Place to Lay Their Heads.” The Church Herald, September 16,
1988: 9-11.
“The Home Front.”
Hughes, Dr. Kaylene. “Women at War: Redstone’s WWII Femail Production Soldiers.”
Redstone Arsenal Historical Information. 2003. 23 March 2003.
Taylor, Barbara. Women at War. Chicago: Little Publishing Co., 1999.
“Women Came to the Front.” Library of Congress. 2001. 26 March 2003.
20 Sources
“A+ research & writing for high school and college students.” IPL Teenspace. 2008. Retrieved 07
Dec 2008 at
“Basic steps in the research process.” Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. 2008. Retrieved 07
Dec 2008 at
Federation for American Immigration Reform. 2008. Retrieved 12 Dec 2008 at
http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_researchc2cd
“Hiding from the Holocaust.” Holocaust Remembrance Project. 2008. Retrieved 11 Dec 2008
at
McAdams, Mindy. “General guidelines.” Against Plagiarism. 2005. Retrieved 10 Dec 2008 at
http://www.macloo.com/cheat/general4.htm
“OWL materials.” The OWL at Purdue. 2008. Retrieved 11 Dec 2008 at
“Paraphrase: write it in your own words.” The Owl at Purdue. 2008. Retrieved 07 Dec 2008 at
“The research process: a step by step guide.” Valencia Enterprises. 2008. Retrieve 07 Dec 2008 at
“Tools for coping with life’s stressors.” Coping.org. 2008. Retrieved 10 Dec 2008 at
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