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BASIC RESEARCH WRITING Brought to you by the Goff Library
Select your topic.
Find your sources—these may be print or online sources. Book sources may be books you can take out to books in Reference (which stay in the library.) Online sources may come from databases or the web. See what is required for the assignment.
Take notes from your sources. Gather what you need to write your report.
Organize your notes and write the report. Make sure you meet the requirements of the assignment.
Create a bibliography. It does matter where you got your information from. Your bibliography should list the information needed for the reader to find that source. This should be the last page of your document.
Proofread your paper. Read it as if you’ve never seen it before to catch spelling and grammar mistakes. Make sure all sources are listed. Then you’re ready to turn it in!
Find books by using the Goff Library OPAC. Use the databases to find encyclopedia and journal articles. Access them through the Goff Library web page. Remember you will need passwords to use these sources from home. Use Google or other search engines to find web sites—do not use Wikipedia or other inappropriate sources. When evaluating sources consider:
Accuracy—is everything spelled correctly?
Authority—what makes this author/source the expert?
Currency—is the information up-to-date?
Objectivity—is it biased? Are they trying to sell you something?
Appropriateness for research—will this further knowledge of this topic?
Remember the librarian is here to help you with your research!
Directions for Works Cited or Bibliography page -- MLA 8
Open a blank document in Google Docs. At the top of the page find Add Ons. Click Get Add Ons. Type EasyBib Bibliography Creator in search box if you don’t see the Easybib option. Once loaded, click on Add ons, you will select Manage Bibliography. On the right you will see the choices Book, Journal Article, and Website.
For books, click on the book tab. Enter the ISBN (no dashes, no spaces). The book should appear. Click on Select. Check to make sure the information is correct. Select. Add Bibliography to doc.
For web sites, click on Website. Copy the web address (URL) for your source into the box. Click on Select. Check to make sure the information is correct. . Add Bibliography to doc It should end with the URL for the web site minus the http://. You only need an Accessed date if there is no other date in the citation. Copy it into your bibliography keeping everything in alphabetical order.
Databases often provide the citation for you. Find the cite tool attached to the article. Copy the MLA 8 citation directly into the bibliography. YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE EASYBIB FOR THIS!
Make sure your document is Times New Roman, size 12. Set to double space. Works Cited or Bibliography (whatever your teacher requested) should be centered at the top of the page. The first line of a citation starts at the left margin. For any additional lines, indent five spaces. Remember that the entire bibliography is in alphabetical order. Sample below:
Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Earthquakes." CDC, 16 Jan. 2014,
emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes.
Stock, Joann. "Earthquake." World Book Student, World Book, 2016,
www.worldbookonline.com.
Townsend, John, and Darren Lingard. Earthquakes and Volcanoes: A Survival Guide.
Raintree, 2006.
Wald, Lisa. "The Science of Earthquakes." USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, 24 July
2012. earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/eqscience.php.
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