Research+Tools

=Welcome!= This page provides links to tools that can help you in the research process. This is a common page for Blue, Orange, Red, and Yellow classes. It is hosted on the "Blue" Wiki. Once you are finished using these sources, if you are in one of the other classes, you will need to navigate back to your own class wiki by clicking on the link to your class on the bottom of the left hand tool bar. Or you may simply click "Back" on your brouser.

=Research Organizer and Notes on Source=

__Research Organizer__

The purpose of the Research Organizer is to organize and simplify your research process. The chart prompts you to think of key words associated with your topic. Then you can systematically search each key word in a number of different resources. Your work is organized, and therefore speedy. If you have difficulties, your teacher can see exactly what you have done, and make specific suggestions. Open and examine the sample and blank organizers. Then open and review the powerpoint introduction below.







You will find a copy of the research organizer on your individual wiki page. Update it there, so I can see your progress and make suggestions as you go along.

__Notes on Source__

The purpose of the Notes on Source is to organize the information you collect from each book, website, article or other reference. The chart prompts you to summarize the key points in the article //__before you bother to take exhaustive notes.__// The idea is that you will collect many articles, skim each briefly, and then make an informed decision about which ones you will read in great detail. If this format does not work for you, let me know and we will negotiate an alternative. What is not negotiable is this: you must have an organized way to keep key information about each source, and a place to take detailed notes once you decide which sources are worth digging into deeply. Whether you use my Notes on Source document or some other system, __you must use youre wiki and maintain a list of sources, including URL's for websites, and brief summaries of the types of information contained in each.__





=Tutorials on Using Online Resources at Beaver and Home=

For 2008-2009
 * 1) Accessing Online Databases __//**from**// //**Home**//__: Brief instructions and Passwords.

2. Accessing Online Databases //__**from**__ __**School**__//: Brief instructions. __For Gale Student Resources__ a. open your web browser b. delete everything in the url window c. type in "library" without http, without www, without quotes, just library d. press return e. this takes you to the old version of the Beaver library website. f. along the top row, third item in, click on "online resources" g. this takes you to a chart. h. look in the 6th column over, getting into the gray i. click on "Gale Student Resources" j. follow the links, and proceed to the search box. Do not use any "green dot" articles in your research

=Tutorials on Particular Websites and Databases Listed (but not explained) on handout above:=

1. Learn North Carolina. [|www.learnnc.org]. click on icon below to hear overview.

media type="file" key="Intro_to_Learnnc.org_.wav" width="82" height="56"

2. Encykcolopedia Britanica online.

3. Routledge Reference Resources online This is a great website. It has dictionaries and encyclopedias that are related to history. You may only use it at school at the moment, but Kelley will send us a username and a password to access it anywhere.
 * http://www.reference.routledge.com/subscriber/uid=15226/?authstatuscode=202

**4. BCDS Library: Upper School Pathfinders REALLY HELPFUL TOOL!!!! CLICK LINK BELOW!!!!!!**
 * __ http://bcdsresources.wikispaces.com/Upper+School+Pathfinders  __

Go to the link above to find a Wiki created by the school librarians to help you organize your in house and web-based search for information. They have constructed the guides with advice from teachers. The idea is that these pathfinders will help you on the particular projects teachers assign.

=Citations and References=





In this course we will use MLA style parenthetical documentation. You are more than welcome to use onlinetools that automatically format your references for you. Below are three simple links that show you how to do MLA style documentation.

Long Island University, CW Post Campus, B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library: [|MLA Quick Guide] Provides quick and easy color coded reference.

Ohio State University Libraries: [|MLA Citation Guide] Provides a little more detail and explanation for more complicated sources that you can't

Son of Citation Machine website asks you questions, has you fill in blanks, and then prepares an Works Cited Page in any of several formats. [|CitationMachine]

=Rubrics and Peer Editing=

We have used this Peer Editing tool for several years. Never once have we had a student score less than a B+ on a research paper when the student and his or her editor used this tool in an intensive manner and then fixed the things the student discovered in the process.

Please note, we may revise this rubric to more explicitly include process and progress into our assessment. Still, this version of our rubric gives you a good indication of the types of things we will look for in your final product.