Copyright & Plagiarism:
It is your responsibility to avoid plagiarism. You should cite your source for anything which is not common knowledge, your own personal experience, or your own creative work. Rule 6 of the PCHS Student Code of Conduct states:
CHEATING/INTEGRITY
Students shall not cheat on tests/examinations, not copy the work of another student
nor assist a student who is attempting to copy his/her work, nor plagiarize work, nor
complete in a dishonest or deceptive manner, any type of academic assignment.
Please ask Ms Baker or your teacher if you have questions about avoiding plagiarism or citing sources.
CHEATING/INTEGRITY
Students shall not cheat on tests/examinations, not copy the work of another student
nor assist a student who is attempting to copy his/her work, nor plagiarize work, nor
complete in a dishonest or deceptive manner, any type of academic assignment.
Please ask Ms Baker or your teacher if you have questions about avoiding plagiarism or citing sources.
Need help? Scroll to the bottom of the page & fill out the form or text 252-497-2664. Ms Baker will reply as soon as possible.
Step 1: TASK DEFINITION
1a) Identify the information problem (clarify the assignment)
You may have been assigned a topic, but you can often slant it in a way that makes it more interesting to you. Ask me how! If you have more leeway, choose a topic that will be interesting and worthwhile and will extend your knowledge. Making the decision may not be easy. Choose carefully, consult with your teacher, and remember to keep your project manageable.
You may have been assigned a topic, but you can often slant it in a way that makes it more interesting to you. Ask me how! If you have more leeway, choose a topic that will be interesting and worthwhile and will extend your knowledge. Making the decision may not be easy. Choose carefully, consult with your teacher, and remember to keep your project manageable.
The button above will take you to an article with advice about choosing and narrowing down a research topic. If you're struggling with this, take a few minutes to read the article. You can also talk with your teachers or school staff members for ideas.
You may be surprised to hear me say it, but Wikipedia is a good place to narrow down a topic. Start with a broad topic that you are curious about, like photography or psychology, then look at the "Contents" box to explore aspects of the topic that most interest you. Investigate some of the sources cited at the bottom of the wiki page to get a jump start on your research. Remember, wikis can generally not be used as a source for your paper, but you can make use of some of the research provided there to get ideas about the direction you would like for your project to take.
You may be surprised to hear me say it, but Wikipedia is a good place to narrow down a topic. Start with a broad topic that you are curious about, like photography or psychology, then look at the "Contents" box to explore aspects of the topic that most interest you. Investigate some of the sources cited at the bottom of the wiki page to get a jump start on your research. Remember, wikis can generally not be used as a source for your paper, but you can make use of some of the research provided there to get ideas about the direction you would like for your project to take.
1b) Identify the information needed (What do you already know? What do you need to know?)
Graphic organizers, timelines, brainstorming and question-storming can help you with this step.
Graphic organizers, timelines, brainstorming and question-storming can help you with this step.
Step 2: INFORMATION SEEKING STRATEGIES
2a) Determine possible sources (Where are some places that you can look for the information you need?)
You should have a combination of source types for your project, including print sources, web sites, databases, and e-books. While your instinct may be to go straight to Google, but you will miss out on a lot of good resources that way. Be sure to check out the resource links on our Home page for some suggestions about where to search for information on your topic (get log-in info from Ms. Baker).
2b) Select the best possible sources (Evaluate your options)
As you're exploring your topic, you want to make sure the sources you use are current, relevant, authoritative & accurate, and that the purpose of the source makes it appropriate for your usage.
Current - the information should be as current as possible, unless you are using a primary source document for historical research
Relevant - the information in your source meets your information needs
Authoritative - whoever wrote the article has credentials and expertise in the subject area. Sites like e-How, about.com, and Yahoo! are among the many sites you will want to avoid when gathering information for a research paper.
Accurate - the information is correct. Verify information by checking multiple sources.
Purpose - check for bias. What is the reason this source of information exists? Do they want to sell you something? Persuade you to their viewpoint?
You should have a combination of source types for your project, including print sources, web sites, databases, and e-books. While your instinct may be to go straight to Google, but you will miss out on a lot of good resources that way. Be sure to check out the resource links on our Home page for some suggestions about where to search for information on your topic (get log-in info from Ms. Baker).
2b) Select the best possible sources (Evaluate your options)
As you're exploring your topic, you want to make sure the sources you use are current, relevant, authoritative & accurate, and that the purpose of the source makes it appropriate for your usage.
Current - the information should be as current as possible, unless you are using a primary source document for historical research
Relevant - the information in your source meets your information needs
Authoritative - whoever wrote the article has credentials and expertise in the subject area. Sites like e-How, about.com, and Yahoo! are among the many sites you will want to avoid when gathering information for a research paper.
Accurate - the information is correct. Verify information by checking multiple sources.
Purpose - check for bias. What is the reason this source of information exists? Do they want to sell you something? Persuade you to their viewpoint?
When using Citefast, don't let your computer do all the thinking. Sometimes manual entry is best. Be sure your spelling and capitalization are correct. If you have any questions about citation or using Citefast, please come see me at the library!
Citation Stations games are linked above. Try them out & learn about citation by playing!
11th grade: complete research paper; commit to a product, complete reflection
Take a look at the grading rubric included in the project handbook (linked at the top of this page) to see what the expectations for this paper are. There are plenty of people who would be glad to help you meet these expectations. Please ask us! You will need at least one print source, and if your paper is on an obscure topic it may take us a while to find a book that will work for you. Please contact us as soon as possible so we can have some materials on hand when you need them. Use the form on the Home page to request titles, or send me an email from the link at the top right-hand side of the page.
12th grade: complete and present your product and your research; submit your portfolio
Here is a nice list of sites you can choose from for your presentation. Choose a format that suits your topic and content. Remember to take a look at the presentation rubric in the Project Handbook (at the top of this page) in order to see what the expectations are. If you need help using these tools, Ms. Remington our Tech Facilitator will be glad to help you.
Dress professionally and present your work to the panel. Now is your chance to share what you've learned! As a result of this project, you not only know more about your topic, but you can use this research process throughout your life. Whether you are thinking about what profession to choose, where you want to live, what kind of car to buy, or taking up a new hobby, these research skills will help you make informed decisions. Congratulations!