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Research Step 2
- Locating Sources
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Goals:
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To identify and document possible sources
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To draft a preliminary works
cited page
To make source pages
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| Humanities Samples |
English 4 Samples |
English 3 Samples |
| Working
Bibliography |
Working Bibliography |
Working Bibliography |
| Source
Page |
Source Page |
Source Page |
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Once you have formulated a controlling
statement, you need
to begin compiling sources. Your
preliminary list of sources is called a working bibliography, and for the
purpose of this project, you should keep this bibliography electronically on a Works Cited page created in
Word. Source Pages are
records that hold all the appropriate information about a source, whether it
be a book, magazine, or website, and they also leave room for notes from that
source. Keep
in mind that your goal is to find reliable sources for your project.
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1. Browse Possible Sources: The first step in locating sources is
“browsing.” Begin looking
through the possible sources for information on your topic.
Be sure that sources cover your specific area of study.
Some may be too broad, others too focused, so be choosey.
Here are some possible sources for information.
Two of your sources must not be electronic.
- People: Experts in the field you’re studying are an excellent
source, and an interview is a top quality source of information.
- Library: Nonfiction and reference books, magazines, and special
collections are available at the many libraries in our community.
Ask a librarian or your teacher for the best method for searching
in your field.
- Internet:
Surf the net, looking for appropriate sites.
In this area, you must be very careful, as not all websites are
trustworthy. Your best search
engine for research is Google.com.
The following
sites can be trusted:
- .org—These are websites of non-profit organizations.
- .gov—Government sites provide reliable information.
- .edu—University websites offer loads of information in innumerable
subject areas.
- .com/.net—You should only consider .com sites when the company is
reputable. Biography.com, Britannica Online, and Historychannel.com
are a few that you can trust. Be
very critical when choosing a web site.
- CD-ROM: Encyclopedias and reference materials are widely
available in digital format. They
are easy to use, so don’t leave them out.
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2. Evaluating Sources: There is tons of information out there for just
about any topic. You don’t
have to settle for the first six sources that come along. Reject any material that is only vaguely related to your
thesis or that repeats previously located material.
Here are some questions to ask when evaluating:
- Is the source authoritative? Can
you rely on it for accuracy? Is
the author a noted expert?
- Is
the source unbiased? If
not, can you find another source that presents the other side?
- Is
the source up-to-date? This
is especially important with science and tech-related topics.
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| 3. Making Source Pages: When you find a source that you plan to
include in your working bibliography, you need to make a source card/page
for it. Source pages
include all of the information about a source that you will need to prepare
your Works Cited page for your final manuscript. In addition, source
pages should display a brief
synopsis of the source’s value in your research and the source's location.
Each
source page must include the following information:
- An assigned source letter
- A bibliographic entry (MLA
Page - more detailed and specialized bibliography information)
- Books: Author. Title. Place of Publication: Publishing Company, Year Published.
- Magazines: Author.
“Article Title.” Magazine Title. Date:
pages.
- Web: Author.
"Page Title." Site Title. Date
viewed. (url).
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A brief description of the source's value in your
research
- The
source's location
- Room
for notes
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| 4. Sample Source Page: Create these
as a Word document. |
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Source
A
“Phlebotomy
as a Career.” American
Medical Association.
5 April 2005.
<http://www.ama.org/phlebotomy>.
Description of phlebotomy
as a career, including required education and job facts.
Location:
Internet
NOTES:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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