Chapter 7

Library and Online Research Strategies

Getting Ready for Research

TIP #1: Understand the assignment-What is the purpose of the assignment?-How long should the assignment be? -Do I need sources? How many are

required? -Can sources be the same type, or should they be different?

-Formatting requirements

Getting Ready for Research

TIP #2: Have your topic ready-Does your topic fit the assignment

standards?-Pick something you are interested in-Have alternate topics in mind in case you

hit a dead end-Ask yourself what you’d like to learn

Getting Ready for Research

TIP #3: Know what you want your end result to be

-Have a clear view of the final picture-What would you like the audience to

know?-Why is it important for the audience to

know this?-How are you informing your audience?-How are you persuading your audience?

Getting Ready for Research

TIP #4: Determine what kind of research you need to do

-What resources are most appropriate for my topic?

-How familiar is your audience with the topic?

-How detailed do I need to be?

Getting Ready for Research

TIP #5: Create a rough outline to help you visualize the finished product

-Is there a balance in citations and resources?

-Do I have enough research to support my points and subpoints? -How can I showcase my strongest

evidence? -Does the research flow?

Getting Ready for Research

TIP #6: Know what sources are available to you-Peer-reviewed journals-Periodicals-Government documents-Legal documents-The Internet

Getting Ready for Research

TIP #7: Bring everything you might need with you-Assignment instructions and guidelines-Textbook, notes-USB drive-Notepad, pencils, pens, highlighters,

notecards-Incidentals: sweater, snacks, drinks, glasses-Cajun Card for copy machines-Cash/change

Library Lingo

• Dewey Decimal System– Arranges books using a number assigned to subject matter within a

book placing the book in numerical order on the shelf– Used in schools and public libraries

• Library of Congress Classification– Arranges books using letters and numbers assigned to subject matter– Used in university libraries

• “Book stacks” are library lingo for bookshelves• Reference materials

– Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference sources• Electronic databases

– Collections of information stored electronically

Getting to know your library

http://library.louisiana.edu/

Getting the most out of your time at the library

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help2. Exhaust all avenues before giving up on an

idea3. Know when to quit

Mapping the World Wide Web

• HTTP– Hypertext transfer protocol– Tells the computer where to go to get to the address

you are seeking• URL– Uniform resource locator– Uses domain plus protocol identifier to identify a

page

http://www.louisiana.edu

Mapping the World Wide Web

• HTML– Hypertext markup language– Creates the web page

Domain abbreviations

.edu –educational sites

.com –commercial sites

.gov –government sites

.mil –military sites

.net –network administrative sites

.org –organizational sites

.firm –businesses or firms

.store –online stores

.web –world wide web activities

.arts –cultural and entertainment activities

.rec –recreational and sports activities

.info –information services

.nom –for individual or personal names

CREDIBILITY

WIKIPEDIA IS NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER,

EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER,

TO BE USED AS A SOURCE!

CREDIBILITY

CREDIBILITY• Author – Information on the internet with a listed author is one indication

of a credible site. • Date – The date of any research information is important, including

information found on the Internet. By including a date, the website allows readers to make decisions about whether that information is recent enough for their purposes.

• Sources – Credible websites, like books and scholarly articles, should cite the source of the information presented.

• Domain – Some domains such as .com, .org, and .net can be purchased and used by any individual. However, the domain .edu is reserved for colleges and universities, while .gov denotes a government website. These two are usually credible sources for.

• Site Design – This can be very subjective, but a well-designed site can be an indication of more reliable information. Good design helps make information more easily accessible.

• Writing Style – Poor spelling and grammar are an indication that the site may not be credible. In an effort to make the information presented easy to understand, credible sites watch writing style closely.

Cheaters Beware

• Plagiarism• Submission of work that is not the student’s own• Submission or use of falsified data• Theft or unauthorized access to an exam• Use of a proxy during an examination• Use of unauthorized materials • Supplying or communicating unauthorized information• Collaboration when not permitted• Submission of same work for two courses

Plagiarism

• Failure to indicate a source within quotation marks, in-text citations, endnotes, or footnotes where appropriate if any of the following are reproduced in a work submitted by a student– A phrase, written or musical– A graphic element– A proof– Specific language– An idea derived from the published or unpublished

work of another

Citations

• Basic format is author, date of publication, title of work, location of publication, and publisher’s name

• APA– American Psychological Association– Used for social sciences– You will use APA for this class

• MLA– Modern Language Association– Used for humanities

***See page 154-157 for examples for APA, MLA,

Organizing your research

• Use a note card for each source and assign a number to it and correspond your quote to the number on the card

• Evernote• Airtable