Index
RESEARCH
STRATEGY
Steps in gathering
information
RESEARCH CHECK
LIST
Where to find information.
"HOW TO"
BASICS
1- Using Boolean operators ,
truncation symbols, and wildcards
2- Locating materials using the PHS
Media Center card catalog
3- Using periodical indexes
4- Searching the Internet
5- Evaluating information
6- Using standard Citation formats for
"works cited" page
RESEARCH
STRATEGY
Steps in gathering
information
1. Define your topic
Check general reference sources
and encyclopedias for an overview of your subject. Determine
what you know and what additional information you need to
locate.
2. List keywords
Think of keywords or main
concepts that describe your topic. Identify synonyms or related
terms to use in your search.
3. Combine keywords
Use Boolean operators (AND, OR,
NOT) to expand or limit your search. Use truncation symbols and
wildcards to retrieve terms with variant spellings or words
having the same root word.
4. Locate materials
Search the PHS Media Center card
catalog by subject, keyword, author, or title for materials on
your topic. Write down citations.
5. Use periodical indexes to find
magazine and newspaper articles.
Use MAS (Magazine Article
Summaries), Newsfile NewsBank, and Readers' Guide. Look up
keywords to find citations to articles. Consider the date of
your topic when selecting an index to search. Write down
citations.
6. Search the Internet
Use keyword search tools or
subject search tools to find sites related to your topic. Use
Boolean operators to expand or limit your search. Write down
the name, URL, and date for your citation. Remember, the
Internet is not a site.
7. Evaluate what you
find
What is the authority for the
author or publications found during your search? How valid and
reliable is the information found? Does the information found
expand what you already know or have found in other sources?
Does it make a new point? Does it disagree with other
information found?
8. Use standard citation formats for
your "works cited" page
After completing your paper or
project, format your citations according to MLA
standards.
*Tips
Work from the general to the
specific. Find background information first, then locate more
specific and recent sources.
Be organized. Keep track of what you
have searched so you don't waste time looking in the same place
twice.
Write down the citation information
for all sources at the time you use them. Trying to locate
missing citations later can be time-consuming and
frustrating.
Ask a librarian for assistance when
you get stuck!!!
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RESEARCH
CHECK LIST
Where to find
information
As you do research for your project, be
thorough. Depending on the assignment, you should be checking the
following sources available in the Media Center.
Media Center Card Catalog
Do a subject search first. If
this does not give you enough hits, try a keyword search. If
known, check author or title.
Reference Materials
While general reference
materials will give you basic information on a topic,
specialized reference materials may provide more information.
For example, if you are looking for a science related topic, a
science encyclopedia may be a better source than a general
encyclopedia.
Periodical Indexes
--EBSCOhost -
Magazine Article Summaries FullTEXT Ultra-- This is one
of the internet-delivered databases from EBSCOhost that indexes
general interest and research magazines, some newspapers, and
more. Many articles will be in full-text. A note indicates
magazines held in this Media Center. Begin with a keyword
search. Use Boolean operators and limiters to improve your
search results.
--Reader's Guide to Periodical
Literature-- This is a print index to magazines. Search
for your keywords. This index is especially useful when
searching for information likely to be found in magazines more
than seven years old. The Media Center has these indexes dating
from 1959 through 1997.
--NewsBank InfoWeb -
NewsBank Newsfile Collection - This is
one of the internet-delivered databases from NewBank that
provides full-text articles from newspapers, some magazines,
and newswires. Begin with a keyword search. Use Boolean
operators and limiters to improve your search
results.
Internet
It provides students with
worldwide access to computer databases. You may search with a
specific URL, use a keyword search tool, or use a subject
search tool. Be sure to write down the name of the site, the
URL, and the date. It can be difficult to repeat an Internet
search at a later date and locate the same site. Students will
need to have a signed Internet consent form on file to use this
research tool.
Other locations to
check-
Plano Public Library--We have an
excellent public library in Plano that has many materials
not available at PHS. Materials not available locally may be
requested through the Prairie Area Library System.
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"HOW
TO" BASICS
This information is intended to be quite
brief, serving as a reminder on "how to" do research rather than a
full-scale lesson.
1. Using Boolean operators,
truncation, and wildcards
Boolean operators (AND,
OR, NOT) allow keywords to be combined in order to improve
search results. Notice that these operators should be
capitalized. Also note, some internet search engines use other
symbols (+ -) for these operators' functions.
AND is used to narrow a search.
In using the Boolean operator AND, the search would require all
keywords linked with AND to be present in order to be included
in the results. If one keyword appears, but not the other, this
will not appear in the result list since the search specified
both words were required. A search for cats AND dogs would
produce results only if both animals were mentioned.
OR is used to broaden a search.
In using the Boolean operator OR, the search would produce
results having any or all of the keywords linked with OR. This
type of search can produce many results. In that case, it's
best to go back and narrow your search. A search for cats OR
dogs would give results for cats, dogs, and cats plus
dogs.
NOT is used to exclude keywords
from a search. In using the Boolean operator NOT, the results
would include the initial keywords only if the keyword excluded
by the operator NOT does not appear. A search for cats NOT dogs
would produce results that discussed cats, but if that source
mentioned dogs, it would not be included in the results of this
search.
Truncation is used to retrieve
keywords having the same root word. Generally, an asterisk(*)
is used as the truncation symbol and is placed at the end of
the root word. For example, if cat* is typed, results would
include cat, cats, catalog, caterpillar, catch, Catherine, and
many other words beginning with cat as the root word. Be
cautious when using truncation on a short root word since
results can be unexpected. Truncation can be handy with plurals
or different verb tenses. It can be a useful tool when used
properly.
Wildcards are used to retrieve
keywords with variant or uncertain spellings. Generally a
question mark (?) is placed in the middle of the word. For
example, mari?uana would produce results spelled marijuana and
marihuana. Wom?n would locate woman and women. Just as in
truncation, be cautious about using wildcards with short words.
For example, m?n will give you man and men, but it will also
give you many other words that begin with m and end with n
since the question mark could represent more than one letter.
Your results would also include motion, marathon, meridian,
maintain, and many other possible words.
2. Locating materials using the Media
Center catalog
The Media Center catalog allows
materials to be searched by author, title, subject, or keyword.
Once the materials is located in the catalog, check its
availability, write down the call number and title, and go to
correct location on shelves.
3. Using periodical
indexes
Periodical indexes are tools
that help you locate magazine and newspaper articles.
Indexes are available in the Media
Center in print format and as Internet-delivered databases.
Depending upon the index and your topic, search by keyword or
subject. Selecting the appropriate index will be determined by
the type of information you are seeking and the time frame
related to that information. The Internet-delivered indexes are
excellent sources of contemporary information because they
cover articles appearing in recent magazines and newspapers as
well as covering a number of previous years. When researching a
subject that has a definite date related to it, keep that date
in mind when considering the time frame of the database to be
searched. If these match, you will likely find information.
Periodical Indexes available in the
Media Center -
--EBSCOhost - MAS
(Magazine Article Summaries) FullTEXT Ultra
Indexes general interest and research
magazines, some newspapers, and more. Begin with a keyword
search. Use Boolean operators, truncation, and limiters to
improve your search results. Many articles in full-text.
Write down the citation, print marked list of articles, or
print full-text if available.
--Reader's Guide to Periodical
Literature
Print based
Search for your keyword in this
magazine index. This index is especially useful when searching
for information likely to be found in magazines more than five
years old. The Media Center has these indexes dating from 1959
through 1997.
--NewsBank InfoWeb -
Newsfile NewsFile Collection
This internet-delivered database
provides full-text articles from newspapers, some magazines,
and newswires. Begin with a keyword search. Use Boolean
operators and limiters to improve your search
results.
4. Searching the
Internet
Use keyword search tools or
subject search tools to find sites related to your topic. Use
Boolean operators to expand or limit your search. Check the
Help screen for each search engine for specifics about
searching techniques. Write down the site name, URL, and date.
Remember, the Internet is not a site, it is a delivery method
to reach sites.
5. Evaluating
information
What is the authority for the
author or publications found during your search? How valid and
reliable is the information found? Can you verify the
information found by checking other sources?
6. Using standard citation
formats for "works cited"
page
A
Guide for Writing Research Papers, MLA Documentation
Writers'
Workshop Bibliography Style Handbook
(APA and
MLA)
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