Brainstorming your thoughts
Write down your initial thoughts and personal interests:
- What do you wonder about?
- What are you passionate about?
- What have you always wished you could do or make?
- What do you care about and want to share with the world?
Defining your Topic
When you select your topic, you will need to think…
I want to research about something to do with...
I want to research about something specific (Columbia pet shelters during a flood)
When you are assigned a research project by one of your teachers, they will give you a topic in one of two ways.
Research something to do with ….
Research something specific (i.e: Research the life of Anne Frank)
** Two helpful videos to watch: “How to develop a Good Research topic” & "Developing a research question"
Ask Deeper Questions - Leads to information for a research paper
Develop some deep questions that will take time to research. If you can find the answer quickly then it's not really research! Learn about thick vs. thin questions and depth of knowledge.
Example:
Thin: What is 3D printing?
THICK: How can 3D printing benefit students and school?
Thin: Who designed the American flag? (Easy answer to find and not long enough for a report)
THICK: How has the design of the American flag changed over the years?
Thin: Where is the Bermuda triangle? (Easy answer to find and not long enough for a report)
THICK: How has the Bermuda triangle affected planes and ships over time?
Thin: Which president was the first one to live in the White House?
THICK: What paranormal activity (ghosts) have been reported at the White House?
Think About Resources You Can Use
Think about using:
- Non-fiction books
- Reference sources -- dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, almanac, atlas
- Trustworthy websites, databases, & search engines
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Primary sources -- original documents, eyewitness reports, expert interviews
- Images and videos
Searching online can be tricky if you don't use the right keywords! Try these search strategies and the suggestions in this Google video:
- Write down your questions and then pull out the keywords.
- Think of synonyms that could be used to describe the same word (e.g., live / habitat).
- Check your spelling if you are not finding anything relevant.
- Get more specific to narrow the information down by using a combination of keywords.
Sources: Use it or Not?
- easy to understand and have clear graphics
- has in-depth information and true facts
- was created and updated often by a reliable source (the organization's URL should have .gov, .edu, org); you probably have heard of the organization.
- Is it reliable, current, and kid-friendly?
- What about Wikipedia?
- Do you understand what you're reading?
*use the Website Evaluator tool and RADCAB poster to check if this website is for you.
Britannica Online from DISCUS
KidRex - a search engine for kids
Kiddle - visual search engine for kids
Ducksters
ESL Civics
National Geographic for Kids
Take Notes & Cite Sources
- A - Abbreviations
- B - Bullet Points
- C - Caveman Language
- L - Lists
- O - One Word for Several
- U - Use Your Own Words
What is the fuss about the Copyright Law and citations? Brainpop can tell you. (Ask your teacher for the log in details)
Learn about citing your sources (Easybib). Citing in the paragraphs from Easybib. Creating a bibliography using (video) Google Docs and Easy Bib Add-on. Here's a listing to proper order for a bibliography as well as a "Finished Biography report with the Works Cited" (Mrs. Durham's example) to check your thoughts about citing sources and the order.
