Source Where to Look Facts Needed to Find. Circulating Books Computer catalog or card catalog Call number, title, author

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1 Name Date Look It Up! Using Sources for Research After you ve chosen a topic, the next step is to find out as much information about your topic as you can. You need to determine what information scientists have already discovered about your topic. Use this information to come up with new ideas of your own to use in your investigation. Look through various sources to find information about your topic, such as books, magazines, encyclopedias, and the Internet. Take this paper with you to use as a guide when you conduct research. How to Get Started In your Investigation Notebook, or at the end of this worksheet, create a list of words and ideas about your topic that you think you might want to research. The following sample list can get you started. Sample List Which material makes the best core for a simple electromagnet? steel nail aluminum foil rod wax crayon wood pencil plastic pen materials that are hot materials that are cold short, thick rods long, skinny rods Using the Library Libraries have detailed catalog systems to help you find books, magazines, and other items. Take a look at the chart below, which may help you figure out how to find what you need. If you re still having trouble, check with your library s most valuable resource: the librarian. Source Where to Look Facts Needed to Find Circulating Books Computer catalog or card catalog Call number, title, author Magazines Reference Materials Computer catalog or Reader s Guide Computer catalog or card catalog, volume number, publication date, page numbers Call number, title, volume number, page numbers 1 of 5

2 Exploring Sources Once you have collected a few written sources, you need to figure out if they will be useful for your research. Here are some tips to help you quickly locate the most useful sources: Books: These will help you find out what s already known about your topic. Check the table of contents to see if a chapter or chapters deal with your topic. Check the index to see if your topic is listed. Skim the relevant pages to see if the information is useful and is easy for you to understand. Magazines and newspapers: These will help you learn what is currently happening about your topic. Skim the headers of article sections to see if they will help your research. Look for interesting photos or charts that help illustrate something about your topic. Encyclopedias: These are great sources for general information. Look up the subject and read through the article for a quick overview of the topic. Look at the end of an entry for related topics and books. Using the Internet With the help of an adult, you can also search the Internet for information on your topic. Start by making a list of key words to use in search engines. When your search results come back, read the description next to each link. The Internet has a lot of information, but not all of it is reliable. Anyone can post his or her ideas on the Internet. Some people may post good, reliable science, while others may post statements or ideas that are simply not true. Here are a few clues that should tell you whether you have found a reliable Internet site: The site is run by a government organization, such as NASA or the United States Geological Survey (USGS) The site is produced by a college, university, or other school. The site is for a museum, such as the Smithsonian Institution The web address ends with.gov,.edu,.org, or a state abbreviation The site is maintained by a noted scientist or academic in the field. When you find a reliable source with good information, write down the name of the site, the web address (URL) of the page you use, and the date you visited the site. Here is an example: Name of site: The Mad Scientist Network URL: Date: February 23, of 5

3 Internet Safety K12 previews all external website links but does not control the content of those sites. K12 does not warrant that the external websites will not contain viruses or otherwise affect your computer. Adults should preview all outside resources before presenting them to students. Preparing Bibliography Cards All good research papers include a bibliography. This is where you list the sources you have used to complete your research. While conducting research, take specific notes of what books, magazines, websites, or other resources you used so you can cite all the sources for the information you use in your report. An easy way to keep track of your sources is to prepare a bibliography card for each source when you first decide to use it. Here is the information you ll need to include on bibliography cards for different types of sources: Books: call number, author s name, title, city of publication, name of the publisher, and date of publication Magazines: author (if known), title of article, name of magazine, date of publication, volume number (if available), and page numbers Encyclopedias (and other reference books): author (if known), title of article, name of encyclopedia, date of the edition, volume number, and page numbers of the article Websites: author or organization, title of page or article, title of website, date published, date you viewed it, full URL. Here are some sample bibliography cards: BOOK Author Morgan, Royston P. Soil Erosion and Conservation Publication Facts Boston: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1996 MAGAZINE/PERIODICAL Author Hill, Margaret A. The Soil...It s Alive! Publication Facts Odyssey, Volume 12, No. 3, March 2003, pages of 5

4 ENCYCLOPEDIA Author Lagasse, Paul, ed. weathering Publication Facts The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, page 3047 INTERNET Author Feynman, Richard There s Plenty of Room at the Bottom Publication Facts Website: Zyvex March 23, of 5

5 Do It! Ready to research? In the space below, write the statement of the problem you ve chosen to research. Then, write a list of ideas related to your project that you d like to learn about. Place this paper in your Investigation Notebook and take it with you to the library when you do your research. Statement of the Problem: Research Ideas: Add more lines if you need them! 5 of 5