lib100

LIB 102: Your Research Process Log

In this class we will learn about research processes. We will also learn specific skills on how to locate and evaluate sources. For the end of the semester, please complete this Research Process Log.

Step 1: What is your research question?

How to write your research question:

Your research question should be focused, specific, explore-able but not answerable in a single sentence, and it should be interesting to you. It cannot be an opinion-based research topic or be answered with “yes” or “no”. Good research questions always start with “who, what, where, when, why, and how”.

If you need help locating a research topic, please visit:

http://www.procon.org

http://www.pbs.org/newshour

http://www.cnn.com

http://www.nytimes.com

Step 2: finding 2 book titles using the library catalogue

Enter the keywords you used to locate books.

Book #1. Provide a citation for a relevant book. (APA or MLA)

What is the date of publication, and how might the date influence the information contained in the book?

How is the book relevant to your research question?

What is the book about? What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Book #2. Provide a citation for a relevant book. (APA or MLA)

What is the date of publication, and how might the date influence the information contained in the book?

How is the book relevant to your research question?

What is the book about? What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Step 3 : finding 2 newspaper article using a newspaper database

Which database(s) did you use to find articles?

Enter the keywords you used to locate articles.

Article #1. Provide a citation for a newspaper article. (APA or MLA)

How is the article relevant to your research question?

What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Article #2. Provide a citation for a newspaper article. (APA or MLA)

How is the article relevant to your research question?

What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Step 3 : finding 2 magazine article using a magazine database

Which database(s) did you use to find articles?

Enter the keywords you used to locate articles.

Article #1. Provide a citation for a magazine article. (APA or MLA)

How is the article relevant to your research question?

What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Article #2. Provide a citation for a magazine article. (APA or MLA)

How is the article relevant to your research question?

What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Step 4: find 2 scholarly articles using a scholarly database

Which database(s) did you use to find articles?

Enter the keywords you used to locate articles.

Article #1. Provide a citation for a relevant scholarly article. (APA or MLA)

How can you tell if the article is “scholarly”?

How is the article relevant to your research question?

What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Article #2. Provide a citation for a relevant scholarly article. (APA or MLA)

How can you tell if the article is “scholarly”?

How is the article relevant to your research question?

What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Step 5: find 2 web sites (you can use Google)

Which web site(s) did you use to find information?

Enter the search terms you used to find information.

Web Site #1. Describe your web site. What is it about?

Try to provide a citation for your source. Use Citation Machine if you like.

(APA or MLA)

How is the information relevant to your research question?

What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?

Web Site #2. Describe your web site. What is it about?

Try to provide a citation for your source. Use Citation Machine if you like.

(APA or MLA)

How is the information relevant to your research question?

What are the main arguments?

How reliable do you think the information is, and why?