Research 101
1) The Learning Portal
Explore the 5 subpages of the "How to Research" page of the Learning Portal to gather tips and tricks to make the research process a breeze!
2) Britannica Encyclopedia
A great first place for online research is Britannica! Students can toggle between 3 reading levels on each article, have articles read aloud, and use Merriam-Webster's double click dictionary to hear words pronounced and read their definitions. Each article can also be translated into over 80 languages.
PASSWORD to use Britannica at home
3) The CRAAP Test
One tool you can use to evaluate sources is the CRAAP test. Check each source for it's currency, relevancy, authority, accuracy, and purpose before deciding if it's an appropriate source for your research task.
This video from McMaster University goes through the CRAAP test.
4) Citing Your Sources
It's always important to give credit to the sources you used to help you create your final product, whether it's an essay, slideshow, website, or infographic. Giving credit is the fair thing to do, and it also shows all of the awesome research and thought you put into your work. It's the same thing as when a music artist gives "feat" or "ft" credit to another musician who is in their song or video.
The JMSS Library has created a tracking sheet to help you keep track of the most important information you need for each source.
Paper copies are available in the library, and online copies are available if you click the image of the purple sheet!
You can now create a works cited and do in-text citations inside a Google Doc! Use the Citation feature under Tools. Choose whichever style of citations your teachers has asked you to use - MLA, APA, Chicago etc.