Author: mpohl
Company: Fowler Public School

Research Tips
1.	Make sure you are using reliable sources.
Who wrote it? (Authority)
Who is responsible for the content of the source? Can you determine the name of the individual, the organization, or entity which produced it? Is there an address or e-mail given to provide communication or feedback? If NOT, then find a better source. You can’t trust a source when the authorship is hidden.
Why was it written? (Objectivity)
Purpose of a source is very important to understand its bias. Every creator has a purpose or viewpoint behind what he/she makes. The written word is so potent that we need to identify the reasons behind it. Print sources often state or imply the purpose or intent of the text in the introduction or preface. The purpose of an internet source is sometimes harder to pinpoint. Look at the address for clues, and read the material carefully for language which gives opinion, viewpoint, or perspective. This bias helps us determine how to interpret the information for our own use.
When was it written? (Currency)
Timeliness is often an important factor in the usefulness of information. Look for copyright dates, updates, and sources used. If the source contains references to other pieces of information, can you discover when those were produced? That will give you a clue as to when your material was written or at least the information on which it was based.  
Where has the information been published previously? (Accuracy)
The more reliable a source the more likely it is that the information contained in it was checked and verified. If the information was published without such checks, you cannot tell if the information is true or not. (That’s how rumors get started!) Look for clues that tell you that the information was verified in other sources or can be found duplicated in at least two other independent sources. If dates, updates, and sources are presented, these are clues which indicate the author at least attempts to keep the information current. But be cautious. Try to find additional sources that confirm the information.
How is the information organized and presented? (Content & Organization)
Does this source give you the information you need in an organized, well presented manner? Does it flow logically from one point to another? Is it pleasing to the eye and easy to follow? How in depth does the source get on the topic? If what you get is superficial or gives only minimal data – one or two sentences or paragraphs – then the source doesn’t really give you much content. Just a mention of your topic is NOT enough! You should find details and explanations provided which offer substantial information. Guard against those web sites which only give you links to other sites. You can find yourself in a big loop of pages and no real information.

2.	TAKE NOTES of information gathered from sources.
Know what kind of ideas you need to record
Focus your approach to the topic before you start detailed research. Then you will read with a purpose in mind, and you will be able to sort out relevant ideas.
•	First, review the commonly known facts about your topic, and also become aware of the range of thinking and opinions on it. 
•	Try making a preliminary list of the subtopics you would expect to find in your reading. These will guide your attention and may come in handy as labels for notes.
•	Choose a component or angle that interests you, perhaps one on which there is already some controversy. Now formulate your research question. It should allow for reasoning as well as gathering of information—not just what the proto-Iroquoians ate, for instance, but how valid the evidence is for early introduction of corn. You may even want to jot down a tentative thesis statement as a preliminary answer to your question. 
Don't write down too much
Your essay must be an expression of your own thinking, not a patchwork of borrowed ideas. Plan to invest your research time in understanding your sources and integrating them into your own thinking. Your note cards or note sheets will record only ideas that are relevant to your focus on the topic; and they will mostly summarize rather than quote.
•	Copy out exact words only when the ideas are memorably phrased or surprisingly expressed—when you might use them as actual quotations in your essay.
•	Otherwise, compress ideas in your own words. Paraphrasing word by word is a waste of time. Choose the most important ideas and write them down as labels or headings. Then fill in with a few sub points that explain or exemplify.
•	Don't depend on underlining and highlighting. Find your own words for notes in the margin (or on "sticky" notes).
Label your notes intelligently
•	Whether you use cards or pages for note-taking, take notes in a way that allows for later use.
•	We will be separating our notes by source.  First, we will copy down citation information for the novel (Wolf by the Ears).  Then we will highlight or use a colored pencil to box in this citation information.  
•	When you do research for your topic, you will first copy the citation information (a few cites are now providing the exact MLA citation… keep your eyes out for these to lighten your load).  THEN you should paraphrase (or summarize) the main points that help to complete your paper.  With the same color highlighter, or colored pencil, box in this information.  This will help to keep your information and sources organized.