Science Fair Background Research Worksheet

The library hosts a number of resources that can help you find information to add to the background portion of your written report. You are required to have 5 sources, two of which can be open web sources. The other three sources must be from a legitimate, authorized source. Authorized sources can be found by performing your research within the confines of the hosted databases that the library subscribes too, or it can come from teacher recommended sites.

Your paper will consist of three paragraphs, not including an introduction and a concluding paragraph. Therefore you should have 5 paragraphs total. Each section of your paper can include the following information:

I. Introduction a. Discuss or present the topic/problem that you are investigating. (3 -4 sentences)

II. Paragraph 1 a. Write 3 -4 sentences that can include data or information that helps to present what

you are investigating.b. Your last sentence of the paragraph should summarize the information given in the

paragraph and also provide a link to your next paragraph.

III. Paragraph 2 – see paragraph 1 explanation

IV. Paragraph 3 – see paragraph 1 explanation

V. Paragraph 5 – concluding paragraph a. Summarize what you have discovered in your first 4 paragraphs. Offer some type of

insight or analysis that you have drawn from your research that can support your topic. This paragraph should also be at least 4 sentences in length.

Format

Since this is a science class, we will use the APA style of writing. These guidelines can be found at the following site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/ If you need more information or help, please see me, Ms. Cheung or Mrs. Meilleur.

Resources

The library subscribes to several databases which contain authoritative sources which you can use to add substance to your background information. It is not easy to be an expert in every field. Good researchers depend upon other experts to provide the need information to support their work. Therefore, it is critical that you use authoritative sources. For example, “Wikipedia” is not an authoritative source since it can be edited by anybody.

Access Science

1. Navigate to the library website: http://sls-library.wikispaces.com

2. Click on the logo at the bottom right hand corner of the page called “Access Science.” You will see the following page:

3. On the right hand side under the McGraw Hill logo, enter the login and password.

login: saintlspassword: science

4. Your next page should look like this. You will know that you have logged in properly as you will see the words “Saint Louis School” to the left of the red McGraw Hill logo.

5. There are two ways to use Access Science. You can perform a directory search by clicking on one of several highlighted categories. In this case I clicked on “farming” and it took me to this page, which lists several more narrow topics to search.

6. If I click on “farm crops,” I am taken to the following page which presents an article. It can click on the highlighted title and it will open up for me to look at it.

7. Other forms of information that are available through Access Science are biographical data which one can get to by clicking on the navigational bar on top. In order to access these articles you can click on the letter which corresponds to that person’s name or identify that person by scrolling down the alphabetized list below.

8. Clicking on a highlighted link will reveal a biographical article which you can email to yourself or save as you like.

9. Another feature of the database is the ability to find media related to your topic. Click on the tab titled “Media,” to access still images as well as animation and videos.

Ebscohost

Navigate to the library home page; http://sls-library.wikispaces.com. In the middle section of the page, click on the database titled “Ebscohost – SRC.” SRC stands for Student Research Center. When prompted, enter the login and password of “newell” (no quotes).

1. Select “Uncheck all” which is the button located just above the photo of Nelson Mandela in the upper right hand corner of the group of pictures.

2. Next, check off magazines, newspapers, books & encyclopedias and biographies if you wish. You are telling the database that you want to search in all of these categories.

When you use Ebsco, you can search for definitions, encyclopedia articles, biographies, as well as current articles that pertain to your topic. For example, if I wanted to see the current application of nanotechnology to medical care I could type the search string, “nanotechnology and medicine.”

From, here, simply click on the link to see the article. Look for the HTML and PDF indicators in the abstract. This will tell you if the article that you selected has full text.

If I wanted to find out what the definition of “nanotechnology” is I could simply click on the button below the Student Research Center logo called “dictionary” and I would be shown this page:

Here is the definition:

If I prefer a fuller, more in-depth explanation of “nanotechnology, I would select the button next to the dictionary called, “encyclopedia.”

The encyclopedia definition is as follows:

In this case, the Columbia Encyclopedia cross-references the term “nanotechnology” with “micromechanics.” If you follow the links, you should get to this fuller explanation of what the definition is.

Lastly, the other way to search Ebsco is by using a directory method. On the home screen, you will notice a panel on the left hand side which offers you to search by category. Be sure to uncheck all selections, then select magazines and newspapers. Click on the button that says “science.” You will see this page:

Click on the category that most closely corresponds to your topic. For example, if you are researching weather, you could click on “Weather and Climate,” and in the search box type in greenhouse effect.

You’ll notice that the system will automatically insert the word “and” to tie the two search terms together. The system will not accept sentences. You will need to select terms and then tie them

together with the operator and to find your best results. You can limit your results by adding more terms, or refine your search by limiting the date and selecting only “full text” articles.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This reference tool is the digitized version of the well known multi-volume printed books. However, it does have some enhancements that a printed version does not. Login to the library home page at http://sls-library.wikispaces.com. Click on the link to Encyclopedia Britannica to begin. If you have not logged in before, please do so using this:

login: stlspassword: school

From here, click on the green entry called “Middle School.”

Like, Ebsco, Britannica offers you two ways in which to search; using a directory and using straight keyword searching.

If you click topics, you will be searching a broad category under “science.” you will be prompted to narrow your category by selecting an item that most closely matches your topic. You also have the option of clicking to open up the sub categories.

If I click on “climate” in the sub category under “Earth Sciences,” I am taken to this page:

This opening page gives a definition of climate. If you like at the side bar on the left of the page, there a clickable links with the entire 23 page article that zero’s in on specific topics that deal with climate. When I click on climate change, I get the following page:

This article describes items associated with climate change. You can print it, email it or save it to your hard drive. To the right of the page above the panel which says “Workspace projects,” click on “Images and Media.” Here you will find additional still images, or video animation that you can download, save and add to your collection of research.

If you were to do a straight keyword search using the terms “greenhouse effect and climate,” you would see this page:

This is the page which features the longer 23 page entry, beginning with the definition of climate. Looking at the left hand side-bar, you are offered sub topics that have to do with the general term of climate.

Outside Sources

Academic research usually does not advocate the use of open web sources. However, today, many organizations, even government departments have a web presence where their organization can post policies and other information that consumers or the public can consult. So, depending upon what your topic encompasses, you can try searching the list of open web sources as well.

URL Environmentwww.epa.gov Environmental Protection Agencyhttp://ice.ucdavis.edu Information Center for the Environmenthttp://www.ciesin.org/ Center for International Earth Science

Information Networkhttp://www.envirolink.org/ EnviroLink Networkhttp://www.pewenvironment.org/ Pew Environment Grouphttp://www.enn.com/ Environmental News Networkhttp://www.obviously.com/recycle/ Internet Consumer Recycling Guidehttp://www.enviropaedia.com/default.php Enviropaediahttp://www.pacinst.org/ The Pacific Institutehttp://www.enviroliteracy.org/ Environmental Literacy Councilhttp://www.earthweek.com/ Earthweek: A Diary of the Planethttp://www.earthweek.com/ The National Park Servicehttp://climate.nasa.gov/ Global Climate Change (NASA)http://www.gdrc.org/uem/ Www virtual library of Urban Environmental

Managementhttp://www.gdrc.org/uem/ Invasive.org: Center for Invasive Species and

Ecosystem Healthhttp://www.fws.gov/endangered/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered

Species Programhttp://www.nrel.gov/ National Renewable Energy Laboratoryhttp://greenerchoices.org/ Consumer Reports: Greener Choiceshttp://www.fws.gov/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicehttp://www.noaa.gov/ National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administrationhttp://www.energy.senate.gov/public/ U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural

ResourcesURL Energy

http://www.awea.org/ American Wind Energy Associationhttp://www.eere.energy.gov/ Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energyhttp://www.dsireusa.org/ Database of State Incentives for Renewables &

Efficiencieshttp://hes.lbl.gov/consumer/ Home Energy Saver

http://www.ne.doe.gov/ U.S. Department of Energyhttp://www.heco.com/portal/site/heco Hawaiian Electric Company

URL Agriculturehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com National Geographichttp://www.usda.gov/factbook/ U.S. Department of Agriculturehttps://attra.ncat.org/ National Sustainable Agricultural Information

Servicehttp://www.cfaitc.org/ Agriculture in the Classroomhttp://www.cityfarmer.org/ Urban Agriculture Noteshttp://www.agcensus.usda.gov/index.php USDA Census of Agriculturehttp://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop USDA Agricultural Marketing Servicehttp://www.organicconsumers.org/ Organic Consumers Association