What is research?

 

                 RESEARCH

 

    re=again           search=look carefully and find something                                                                     such as information for example

 

So, research is looking for answers and information in resources written by others such as in non-fiction books, articles, Internet resources, artifacts in museums, encyclopediae, interviews of experts and in many, many other places.

 

Where do you start?

• Read the list of topics and choose 1 or 2 that interest you

             ex: animals adaptations, survival

• Do an Internet search to narrow down your topic

             ex: Animals Survival in Extreme Environments 

• Write the "big" question that you want to answer about your topic

             ex: How do animals survive in the .....?

 

Where do you find information?

• library

• Internet

• museums, aquariums, zoos, and other places of interest

• schools (teachers, peers, library, computer lab, etc.)

• experts (may write letters or interview)

• text books, trade books, magazines

• television (The History Channel, Public Brocasting System, etc.)

• magazines (National Geographic, Popular Science, Time for Kids)

• Videos 

• and many more. . .

 

What do you do with the resources?

• Begin searching through your resources for infomation directly on your topic. 

              (Hint: You do not have to read entire books- Use the table of  

                           contents and index to narrow down the pages where

                           your topic is found.)

 

• Read the Rubric so that you know what is expected 

 

• Narrow down the resources you will use

                (Hint: Keep a list of each resource for your bibliography)

 

• Begin the "Read, Close, Think, Write" process in a draft

                  -reads a page or two

                  -close/cover the book

                  -think about what you have learned

                  -write what you have learned in your own words

                  -repeat this again and again until you have fully researched

                    your topic 

 

What do you do when you are finished writing the draft?

• Review the Rubric again to be sure you have all of the information that you will need to write your final report

 

• Write your final report- Be sure you have your first and last name and your class on the paper.  Begin with a title that describes your topic. 

 

• Edit- check for spelling, capitalization, grammar, punctuation,      

                neatness      

 

Am I Done With the Writing?

• Not yet! Your still have to add a Bibliography Page.  Click here for help in writing the Bibliography

 

Now, Am I done with the Writing?

• Yes, Bravo!  Now it is time to think about the presentation piece.  Go to the presentation page to choose a way to make your research interesting, creative and beautiful.