Doing Research

1
Doing Research

• Say what??????

2
Why do we research?

• To find out new information
• To help verify and validate our own opinions
• To solve world problems
• To make changes where they are most needed
• To learn to use other peoples information to our
  own benefit

3
How do we begin research?

• First and most importantly you need a killer
  question!

4
Now that youve got your question

• Take your question and break it down
• Why do squirrels hide their nuts in trees for the
  winter time?

5
What NOT to do when searching the internet

• Do NOT type in the entire question
• Do NOT take the first thing you find as the
  correct answer
• Do NOT use one source
• Do NOT forget where you found information
• Do NOT type in the same words every time - this
  will get you NOWHERE!

6
Ways to make your question searchable

• Choose the most important words from your
  question
• Type in those words with a plus () sign between
  them
• If you do not find an answer use synonyms

7
Should you only follow one question?

• Why do squirrels hide their nuts in trees in the
  winter?
• What types of squirrels live in cold climates?
• How much food does one squirrel need to survive
  during the winter?
• How do squirrels find food if they did not store
  enough?
• How many types of squirrels store food for the
  winter?

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What is right for you?

• Depends on what your thesis statement is (well
  get to that in a minute)
• Depends on how in depth you want to get
• Depends on the required resources you should have
  (primary, secondary, expert, book, etc)

9
Places you should trust

• Online encyclopedias - Brittanica, World Book,
  etc.
• Magazine articles - Newsweek, Time, Rolling
  Stone, etc.
• Newspaper articles
• Peer reviewed journal articles - JSTOR, EBSCO, etc

10
Places you probably shouldnt trust

• Wikipedia - can be added to by just about anyone
• Blogs - you have no idea of the validity of the
  source
• Tabloid magazines - they make money by telling
  tales
• Your friend who heard it from someone who heard
  it from someone else

11
Using Clue Words and Synonyms

• Cant find what you want? Use a synonym (the
  online and print thesaurus are your friends!)
• Know which part of speech you want! (noun, verb,
  etc)
• Squirrel - Sciuridae, arboreal, bushy-tailed
  rodents (www.dictionary.com)
• Winter - cold season
• Nuts - pecans, almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.

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Using Citations!

• A citation is when you credit the people or
  publication you got your information from - this
  keeps you from plagerizing!
• MLA Format (use in English I and Theatre)
• "squirrel." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2010.
  Encyclop?ia Britannica Online. 24 Jun. 2010
  lthttp//www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/561817/
  squi
• APA Format (use in English IV)
• squirrel. (2010). In Encyclop?ia Britannica.
  Retrieved June 24, 2010, from Encyclop?ia
  Britannica Online http//www.britannica.com/EBche
  cked/topic/561817/squirrel

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A Thesis Statement!

• This is what your entire paper is about!
• Everything you write can easily relate to your
  thesis statement.
• Squirrels have a variety of different living
  styles and often survive in different areas
  around the globe, not all of them store food in
  the same way, however they all store food for the
  winter.