Writing a Research Paper

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Writing a Research Paper

• Using the Big6 Approach

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What is the Big6 ?

• The Big6 SkillsThe Big6 is a process model of
  how people of all ages solve an information
  problem. From practice and study, we found that
  successful information problem-solving
  encompasses six stages with two sub-stages under
  each

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1. Task Definition

• 1.1 Define the information problem
• 1.2 Identify information needed

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2. Information Seeking Strategies

• 2.1 Determine all possible sources
• 2.2 Select the best sources

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3. Location and Access

• 3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and
  physically)
• 3.2 Find information within sources

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4. Use of Information

• 4.1 Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch)
• 4.2 Extract relevant information

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5. Synthesis

• 5.1 Organize from multiple sources
• 5.2 Present the information

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6. Evaluation

• 6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness)
• 6.2 Judge the process (efficiency)
• http//www.big6.com/showarticle.php?id16

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Note Taking

• What is the best way to collect the information
  from your sources?

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Use of Information

• Now that you have located sources that are
  relevant to your research, you will need to take
  good notes to use in writing your paper.
• Note taking is more than just extracting needed
  information.

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There are three steps in note taking

• Identification of keyword and related words in
  the researchable questions
• Skimming and scanning
• Extracting needed information

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Your Ideas

• Along with the note taking from sources such as
  books, web sites, journals and texts, you should
  add your own ideas and opinions about the
  information.

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Identification of Keyword and Related Words in
the Researchable Questions

• You should have constructed researchable
  questions based on the information needed to
  complete the task or solve the information
  problem, then you can transfer the questions to a
  data chart, other graphic organizer, or note
  cards. Underline the keywords and generate a
  list of related words.

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Skimming and Scanning for Specific Information

• Having organized the researchable questions on
  data charts or other organizer and identifying
  keywords and related words, begin reading for
  information.

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Skimming

• Skimming requires the reader to read quickly and
  look for main ideas or supporting details in a
  paragraph. Skimming requires the reader to take
  in large chunks of text at one time. The reader
  is concerned with getting an idea of the whole
  passage. Comprehension does not depend on reading
  every word. Read the first and last paragraph of
  sections for summaries of the content and the
  first and last sentences of paragraphs to gain an
  idea of the topic.

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Scanning

• Scanning requires you to quickly look over the
  material and look for one specific point or
  something to jump off the page. You use scanning
  for pinpointing needed facts or ideas from the
  text or the index. It involves skipping words,
  but the emphasis is on recognition knowing what
  to look for and rapidly scans until words are
  found and closer reading can occur. Here is where
  you will look for keywords and related words.

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Extracting Needed Information

• Note-taking consists of four types citation,
  summary, paraphrase, and quotation. The citation
  technique involves writing of specific facts
  title, author, publisher, city of publication,
  date, and page numbers. Learn to take notes by
  omitting all words or phrases not essential to
  the meaning. The most important considerations in
  note-taking are accuracy and honesty. Do not
  distort the author's words or views, and give
  full credit if copying or quoting the author's
  ideas.

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Note taking tips

• Paraphrase If you need the information from a
  large amount of text, paraphrase it. Dont just
  copy and paste huge blocks of text. Paraphrasing
  is good for supporting information, biographical
  information, predictions, hypothesis, and drawing
  conclusions. Put the information into your own
  words. This type of note taking must be cited.

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Summarize

• Read a large section for overall meaning and
  summarize it into one or two sentences.
  Summarizing is typically used for beginning
  research, i.e., general explanatory material. It
  must be cited unless the information contains
  common facts and knowledge.

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Copy and paste

• Copy and paste small portions of text regarding
  specific details, facts, definitions, and
  statistics. Usually you don't need to cite this
  kind of information if it is common knowledge,
  unless it is a new or unique perspective on the
  knowledge.

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Direct quotes

• Quotations are used for one or two sentence
  statements that prove a point or reveal an
  attitude. Use quotations to back up your point.
  Direct quotes are appropriate for primary sources
  such as diaries, journals, speeches, interviews,
  letters, memos, manuscripts, memoirs, and
  autobiographies.

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Making Your Note card

• On your index cards, write the information you
  have gathered from the resources.
• Be sure to include title, author, publisher,
  city, date, page number

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Example
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Ways to avoid plagiarism!

• Add quotation marks around text that is extracted
  directly from the source, and add brackets or
  some other notation to information that you
  summarize or paraphrase as soon as you are taking
  notes. You will need to include the quotation
  marks around a direct quote in your final paper.
  You do not need to put quotation marks around a
  paraphrase or summary, but you will cite both
  sources in your bibliography page.

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Web Site Evaluation

• Is everything on the web site true?
• How do you know if the web site you are viewing
  is a reliable source?

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The Five Ws Of Web Site Evaluation

• Who?
• Who wrote the pages and are they an expert?
• Is a biography of the author included?
• How can you find out more about the author?

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The Five Ws Of Web Site Evaluation

• What?
• What does the author say is the purpose of the
  site?
• What else might the author have in mind for the
  site?
• What makes the site easy to use?

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The Five Ws Of Web Site Evaluation

• When?
• When was the site created?
• When was the site last updated?
• /
  

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The Five Ws Of Web Site Evaluation

• Where?
• Where does the information come from?
• Where can I look to find out more about the
  sponsor/producer?

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The Five Ws Of Web Site Evaluation

• Why?
• Why is this information useful for my purpose?
• Why should I use this information?
• Why is this page better than another?

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Citing Your Sources

• You will need the following information to make
  your citation
• Title of book
• Author
• Publisher name and city of publication
• Date
• Page numbers
• Title of article
• URL
• Retrieval date

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MLA Citations

• Book Citations
• Taylor, Theodore. The Cay. New York Dell
  Yearling, 2002.
• Magazine article
• Penttila, Chris. "Model Behavior." Entrepreneur
  April 2006 78-81.
• Internet Site
• Schrock, Kathy. "School Discovery." Kathy
  Schrock's Guide for Educators. 29 Mar. 2006
  ltwww.discoveryschool.comgt.

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Help With Citing Sources

• Citation Machine
• www.citationmachine.com
• Noodle Tools http//www.noodletools.com/quickcite/
  citwww1.html
• OWL Online Writing Lab
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_
  mla.html

Prepared by Julie Scudder, Graduate Student, MTSU
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Works Cited

• Big 6. Retrieved Mar. 16, 2006, from Big 6 web
  site www.big6.com
• "Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on
  DiscoverySchool.com""Clip art licensed from the
  Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com"
• Google. (2006) Images. Retrieved March 29, 2006,
  from www.google.com
• Jansen, B. Ideas about note taking and citing
  sources. Retrieved Mar. 16, 2006, from
• Big 6 web site www.big6.com/kidsshowarticle
  .php?id78
• Jansen, B. Reading for information the
  trash-n-treasure method of teaching note-taking
  (grades 3-12). Retrieved Mar. 16, 2006, from Big
  6 web site
• www.big6.com
• Schrock, K. the five ws of web site evaluation.
  Retrieved Mar. 29, 2006 from Discovery School web
  site www.discoveryschool.com