LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER
English III
Research Paper
Finding What You Need
How to Look for Relevant Information for Your Research Paper
Online edition
I. Before you start researching.
A. What is your topic?
B. How are you going to search for your topic?
1. Create a list of search terms.
2. List as many terms as you can.
II. Where to go to do research.
A. I.C. Library Media Center (LMC).
1. Books can be checked out for 2 weeks.
2. Periodicals can be checked out for 1 week.
B. Elmhurst Public Library (EPL) or local public library.
C. Elmhurst College Library.
D. Internet.
III. What to Bring to Libraries
A. List of search terms.
B. Plenty of note cards.
C. Pen or pencil.
D. Library card.
E. Money to pay for printouts and photocopies.
IV. CREATE A SOURCE CARD AS SOON AS YOU FIND A SOURCE!
A. Create a card even if you don’t think you will use the source. You just never know…
B. Include where you found item, (ICHS LMC, Public Library).
C. Include the call number on the card.
V. Searching for Books
A. ICHS’s Follett Destiny.
1. Online program at ICHS LMC.
2. https://ichsknights.follettdestiny.com .
3. Mr. Andrusyk can show you how to use it.
4. See Mr. Andrusyk to establish an account.
a. Can create lists.
b. See what books you have checked out.
c. Put books on hold.
B. SWAN (System Wide Automated Network).
1. Online program at EPL & MLS member libraries.
2. Can be accessed online at http://www.elmhurstpubliclibrary.org
VI. Searching for Periodicals
A. Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature
1. Green books in Periodical Room.
2. Organized alphabetically by title, author, and subject.
3. Entries organized as follows:
Subject Heading.
Subheading.
Article Title. Author il? Magazine Title. Vol./Issue# pages date.
B. Online Databases to Try
1. Student Resources in Context (EPL*)
2. General OneFile (EPL*)
3. ProQuest (EPL*)
4. First Search (ICHS & EPL)
VII. Searching the Internet
A. Can be useful but also time consuming.
B. Start by taking a look at Library website
1. Research section
a. Links to local libraries.
b. Links to over 1000 web sites on a variety of topics.
2. Web site evaluation guide.
3. MLA citation guide.
C. Use more than one search tool
1. Search directories
a. Sites gathered and entered into database by humans.
b. Example: Yahoo
2. Search engines
a. Computer program picks out sites.
b. Example: Google
3. Mega-search engines
a. Uses more than one search tool with queries.
b. Example: Search.com.
VIII. EVALUATE WEB SITE BEFORE CITING IT!
A. Authority
1. Who is the author?
2. Is the author an expert in the particular field?
B. Purpose
1. Why was the work written?
2. Was it written to inform or persuade?
C. Currency
1. When was the work written?
2. Is the information in the work still current?
D. Coverage
1. Is there a table of contents or an index?
2. Is the work organized in a logical way to make it easy to find information?
E. Accuracy
1. Did the author cite sources?
2. Did you find any discrepancies with facts when compared to other sources?
3. Is the spelling and grammar correct?
F. Web Domains
1. .edu
a. School site.
b. Question authority.
c. Written by professor or student?
2. .org
a. Not-for-profit organization.
b. Some educational and local governments use .org.
c. Question purpose.
d. Informative or persuasive?
3. .gov & .mil
a. Excellent source for statistical information.
b. More informative than persuasive.
c. Question currency.
d. When was site last updated?
e. Look for copyright date.
4. .com & .net
a. Commercial sites.
b. Could be informative, persuasive, or nonsense.
c. Evaluate sources very carefully.
d. Double check sources.
G. Wikipedia
1. Great source to get basic background information.
2. Can be edited by anyone regardless of expertise which can lead to inaccuracies and misleading information.
3. Should not be used in research papers.
4. Treat like other general encyclopedias (World Book).
H. Unsure about a Site?
1. Fill out Web Evaluation Form.
a. Available in Library Media Center.
b. On Library web site.
2. Show it to Mr. Andrusyk with form.
IX. Primary Sources
A. Where to find them.
1. Museums.
2. Historical societies.
3. Organizations.
4. College professors.
5. Sources.
B. Do research first so you can ask intelligent questions.
C. If you cannot visit, you can write, email, or call person.
D. Give source plenty of time to respond. Don’t put off to last minute!
X. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP!
A. Mr. Andrusyk is willing to sit down with you and discuss where to look for source.
B. Mr. Andrusyk is willing to meet small groups at Elmhurst Public Library to show them around.
You may email Mr. Andrusyk with questions at bandrusyk@ichsknights.org.
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