Research+Skills


 * __Research Skills __**
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/NYC_Public_Library_Research_Room_Jan_2006-1-_3.jpg width="382" height="143" align="center" caption="Library may not be as shown"]] ||

In all of your classes you will have to research different topics. Researching is probably the most important skill you will learn at school because with effective research skills you can find out any other skills or knowledge you may need. =Table of Contents= 1. Identify and develop your topic 2. Find background information 3. Use catalogs to find books and media  Why books are better resources than websites  4. Use Online Databases5. Find internet resources 6. Evaluate what you find  7. Cite what you find using a standard format  RESEARCH TIPS

 =**1. Identify and develop your topic**  =   = **2. Find background information **  =   =**3. Use catalogs to find books and media** = 
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">**__Seven Steps of The Research Process__** || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">**__Useful Documents__** ||
 * # <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Identify and develop your topic <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
 * 1) <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Find background information <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
 * 2) <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Use catalogues to find books and media <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
 * 3) <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Use online databases to find articles <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
 * 4) <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Find internet resources <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
 * 5) <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Evaluate what you find <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
 * 6) <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Cite what you find using a standard format || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Senior]Senior Research Guide. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">State your topic as a question
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; left: -4.42%; position: absolute;">• <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Make your question specific
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Identify key words to use in your research
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|**Encyclopaedias**] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|**Dictionaries**] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">to find general information and definitions for your topic and keywords.
 * Sir Wilfrid Laurier library catalog can be found online at:
 * []
 * Ottawa Public Library can be found online at: [|http://www.biblioottawalibrary.ca]

**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why books are better resources than websites ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">** Depth of knowledge ** - Books contain far more information and a analysis on subjects than websites. = 4. Use Online Databases =
 * Accuracy - ** Books go through a rigorous process of fact-checking and editing.
 * Organization ** - Books are catalogued in libraries in a far more efficient manner than websites on the interne

The [|Ottawa Public Library]has online databases full of complete text articles from newspapers, magazines, and academic journals on a wide range of subjects. = **5. Find internet resources** =

[|The Librarian’s Internet Index] [|Infomine] C[|arleton Library]
 * Only after you have looked up background information, and researched books and articles should you go to the internet.
 * Now you will be prepared to distinguish quality web resources from poor ones.
 * Some good starting places for quality information are:

= **6. Evaluate what you find** =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> • Look at the books, media, articles, and websites you have found and critically analyze their usefulness to your topic. • Consider: – Authority of the author – Intended Audience – Coverage –Objective Reasoning

= 7. Cite what you find using a standard format =

• To knowingly represent someone else's ideas as your own is plagiarism. • Whenever you use someone else's words or ideas you must give them credit using proper [|MLA] or APA format. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"> =RESEARCH TIPS=

• ** WORK **** FROM THE GENERAL TO THE SPECIFIC. ** – Find background information first, then use more specific and recent sources. • ** RECORD WHAT YOU FIND **** AND **** WHERE YOU FOUND IT. ** – Record the complete citation for each source you find; you may need it again later. • ** TRANSLATE YOUR TOPIC INTO THE SUBJECT LANGUAGE OF THE INDEXES **** AND **** CATALOGS YOU USE **. – Check your topic words against a thesaurus or subject heading list. ere.