Recommended Resources
Alabama Virtual Library is going to be the best place to start; it can be easily found from your VHCS folder on your device's toolbar.
Click the yellow "High School" button to filter your resources by level
If you aren't intimidated by large search results, use the search bar at the top. Once you get your search results, here are some tips:
Make sure you click on "all filters" and check the box that says "at my library." Otherwise, you might get search results that you won't be able to access.
Once you open an article, you might have to click a dropdown menu that says "Access options" and click a separate link to open the PDF file.
Filter by date range: use a timely article (last 5 years) to get the best read on trends in business
Filter by source type: news and magazines are written for the general public and will be easy to read resources.
If you like your article, be sure to look at the "More like this" section on the right of the screen for ideas on other articles that might suit your needs.
Be sure to get the citation information (quotation marks), the URL (link sign), and either send it to your drive or download the file as a PDF.
Use search function (Control+F) to skim for keywords.
If you are overwhelmed by your search results, go back to the AVL High School homepage. Some specific databases we recommend are...
Ebscohost Search (general database)
Gale General Onefile (general database)
PubMed (medical topics)
Think creatively about how your business might have health benefits for teens!
Newspaper Source (news articles)
Websites: If you can't find anything on AVL, you are allowed to use internet websites. We'd recommend only using .gov and .edu resources. Commercial websites (.com) and organizations (.org) can be biased and should be carefully evaluated before use. Look at the about section (usually found at the very bottom of the webpage) and ask for approval by your teacher before using the source. Remember, think critically about how your sources can help you prove that your business is needed and will contribute to the student population.
Filter using google
.gov Websites
Search Google using site:.gov and then any keywords
.edu Websites
Search Google using site:.edu and then any keywords
Make sure that your source is from a researcher and is not student work
.org Websites
Search Google using site:.org and then any keywords
Be sure to get any .org source approved by your teacher. Some organizations push their own agenda, and it might be useful to follow the sources that they cite. Also, not all organizations are considered legitimate.
Here are a few reliable websites that might be useful:
National Institute of Health - https://www.nih.gov/
Centers for Disease Control - https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/index.htm
Small Business Data - https://www.census.gov/topics/business-economy/small-business/data.html
Small Business Guide - https://www.usa.gov/start-business
General Research Tips
Stay Organized with your research:
Create a folder in Google Drive specifically for this assignment, and save everything including the articles, citations and permalinks/stable URLs.
Create a Google Doc with your citations and permalinks/stable URLs in addition to copies of your articles to allow yourself to backtrack if needed.
You are better having too much rather than not enough when it comes to resources, so plan for a few extra resources. It's also good advice to keep the types of resources varied.
Cite Correctly Using Google Docs:
Use the "Tools" menu and select "Citations" choosing the style guide MLA. Fill in the information you have and click add citation source. Your citation list will save and appear in your doc sidebar.
Watch this quick tutorial to make sure your paper is formatted to perfection.
Search Smarter:
Use the Find shortcut (Control F on a chromebook), to skim long passages for keywords.
If you have a specific phrase you want to search, put quotation marks around it. Ex. "coffee club"
Use the highlight/annotation tools for note-taking while reading; we suggest highlighting at least one quote or paragraph that inspired the save to your drive.