Researching Made Easy: Home

 Scroll to down to the bottom blue boxes. Go to USER RESOURCES and click on FIND ONLINE DATABASES  Skip the big research tiles. Scroll to the list of databases are toward the middle.

If you are home, you might need the info below to log in:

• Library e-Card: 465828

• Birthdate: 09011965

Depending on your topic, select the appropriate database category.

Great ones to use under General Research include (click view all):

• Issues & Controversies - clcik on All Issues A to Z for topic ideas (has translation option for articles)

• Worlds News Digest  - Landmark Events in History (on right) might give you some topic ideas (has translation option on right when you open articles)

• Explora Multi-Search

• Today's Science - go to browse topics on the right
• Britannica Public Library
  • click on Young Adult
  • Under Research Tools & Materials find hints to help with project

Databases in Spanish

Databases in Spanish include Enciclopedia Britannica Escolar & Moderna, Fuente Academica, Recursos para Hispanohablantes, TumbleBooks en Espanol and Mango Idiomas.

Username: SMSouthhs

Password: raiders

A bunch of database tiles show up. Databases specific to our login: World Geography & Culture, and Issues & Controversies in History.

You can get many of these on the State Library of Kansas. Pick the appropriate one for your topic.

Tips for Selecting a Topic

1. Choose something you are interested in or curious about

• a current social issue

• recent news story

• personal issue/hobby

• aspect of a class to explore further

2. Be aware of overused ideas 

3. Be sure your topic isn't too broad - not World War II, but U.S. submarines in World War II

4. Discuss your ideas with a classmate to help focus your topic

5. Think of Who? What? Where? When? Why? questions

• Who are information providers on the topic?

• What are the major questions surrounding the topic?

• When is/was your topic important?

• Why did you choose the topic?

Click Log In on top right

Click the Google Icon on the bottom left and it log in with your school account. You are NOT creating a new log in.

If this is your first time, you might have to pick SM South and fill out a couple of questions.

Create a new project and sources from there.

• Username: shawnee1
• Password: resource

Go below the list of databases and look at the tiles. Choose the appropriate database for your topic.

Issues  - Explore All Issues will give you a multitude of topic options

Other options: World History Ancient/Medieval, World History Modern, World Geography, American History

Use the CRAAP Test

Currency

• How old is the info?
• When was the site last updated?
• Is it current enough for your project?

Reliability

• What is the origin of this information?
• Does the info come from a school or government organization? (.edu, .gov, .org)
• Why do you trust this source?

Authority

• Is there a specific author listed?
• Is there contact info for the author?
• What knowledge or skill does the author have on the topic?

Accuracy

• Where does the info come from?
• Is it supported by evidence?
• Has the info been reviewed?
• Can you verify the info in another source?

Purpose

• What is the motive of the site?
• Does the site attempt to inform you and present all sides of an issue?
• Is the cite free of bias and not trying to sell you something?

Or use the SIFT Method

• STOP - before you take site at face value - do you know the source? the reputation? Use the next steps before you share, believe or use info
• INVESTIGATE the Source - See what independent sources say about the website by Google the site or going to Wikipedia (use the reference links too) to find out more.
• FIND Other Coverage - Can you find verification of the story/facts by other sites? Use fact checking sites such as Snopes.com or FactCheck.org. If you find a better article - great use that one! If you find articles debunking the original - also great.
• TRACE Claims to Original Context - Some articles you find are reporting on another reported story. Be sure you are checking on the original source to verify the accuracy of claims. You might have to dig into the article a bit to see who they are attributing info to. Is it an interview they did? Or is it something like, "According to CBS.com...." If it's the second, find the original story on CBS.com and verify facts from there.

Search your topic and be sure to scroll down to find all possible items. Some non-science topics will also provide great resources.

If you're looking for a topic: Under Advanced Search, Topic Finder (third link at top) is an interesting way to find connections - be sure full text is checked.

Articles can be translated with top left tool.

• JStor

  Log In top right
  Username: shawneemshs
  Password: library20

More in-depth, research-oriented journal articles.

Integrates with NoodleTools

If you need to search the internet for your topic, here are a few tricks.

• Avoid clicking on anything that says: AD (usually at the top of the search)
• Use .edu or .org to focus on reliable sources
• Put search terms in quote marks. Example: "future of education" .org
• Use Google Scholar if you want some serious research hits
• Most internet sites will not provide a citation, so use the Noodle Tools "fill in the blank" for that

(From CSNU Library)

Annotations are about 4 to 6 sentences long (roughly 150 words), and address:

•     Main focus or purpose of the work
•     Usefulness or relevance to your research topic 
•     Special features of the work that were unique or helpful
•     Background and credibility of the author
•     Conclusions or observations reached by the author
•     Conclusions or observations reached by you