Research Tools
To be a good researcher you need to:
1. Define your task
2. Locate information
3. Select the best information for your task
4. Organise the information in a logical way that fits your task
5. Present the information in a way that suits your audience (teachers? class?)
6. Evaluate your presentation to see what could have been done better.
Each step in the research process requires specific skills. The links on this page will take you to resources which may help you at each stage of the research process.
Defining your task
Before you begin a research task, you need to know exactly what you are looking for. The best way to get started is to highlight all the keywords and make sure you know what they mean (in the context of your assignment).
The library has dictionaries in the 400s in the non-fiction section, but there are also some fabulous dictionaries online:
1. Infovisual [http://www.infovisual.info/] and Visual Dictionary Online [http://visual.merriam-webster.com/] are literally
visual dictionaries; they include labelled pictures from different subjects to help you understand difficult jargon.
2. The original Visual Thesaurus [http://www.visualthesaurus.com/] is a thesaurus arranged like a concept map. It can
be used to find synonyms or to gain a btter understanding of what a words means. Although the programme is no
longer free, you can use it for free for up to five words. Similar free programmes include Wordvis
[http://wordvis.com/] and Visuwords [http://www.visuwords.com/]. Neither of these sites includes a written
dictionary definition
3. Stumbleupon [http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/AHj9kF/:dhyYS@YC:WIm7LiS1/www.synonym-finder.com/synonym/]
is a thesaurus you can use when you have written an assignment and want to improve your vocabulary. It's also an
excellent place to improve you vocabulary through their "word of the day".
Some assignments ask you to create your own task. You need to come up with an idea and then refine it down to something very specific (otherwise you'' end up writing a book!). These links can help with this.
The library has dictionaries in the 400s in the non-fiction section, but there are also some fabulous dictionaries online:
1. Infovisual [http://www.infovisual.info/] and Visual Dictionary Online [http://visual.merriam-webster.com/] are literally
visual dictionaries; they include labelled pictures from different subjects to help you understand difficult jargon.
2. The original Visual Thesaurus [http://www.visualthesaurus.com/] is a thesaurus arranged like a concept map. It can
be used to find synonyms or to gain a btter understanding of what a words means. Although the programme is no
longer free, you can use it for free for up to five words. Similar free programmes include Wordvis
[http://wordvis.com/] and Visuwords [http://www.visuwords.com/]. Neither of these sites includes a written
dictionary definition
3. Stumbleupon [http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/AHj9kF/:dhyYS@YC:WIm7LiS1/www.synonym-finder.com/synonym/]
is a thesaurus you can use when you have written an assignment and want to improve your vocabulary. It's also an
excellent place to improve you vocabulary through their "word of the day".
Some assignments ask you to create your own task. You need to come up with an idea and then refine it down to something very specific (otherwise you'' end up writing a book!). These links can help with this.
Locating Information
It's not enough to just google your keywords and assume that the information you recieve is accurate or even relevant. Sometimes the best information is not found on the internet but in a book or magazine or on a poster. Use My Library in your portal to see what physical or online resources are available through your library.
If you still haven't found what you're lookign for, try these educational search engines:
Sweet Search is a search engine designed for students. All the websites are trustworthy, but this doesn't mean that they are easier to read or even that they are relevant to your work - make sure you use the right search terms and read the blurbs. Ivy's Search Engine Resources for Kids and Sweetsearch4me were both created for younger students.
Finding Dulcinea - is a news-style site filled with resources that whave been researched and written by real people. Some articles are clearly aimed at an adult rather than high school audience and the site has an overall US bias, but the search engine brings up relevent articles quickly.
You can also use google to find easy-to-read texts: In Google, go to the Options (gear symbol, top right of the screen), Advanced Search and scroll down to Reading Level. You have options like Annotate results with reading levels; or Show only basic results. Make your choice, make sure you click on Advanced search (blue button at the bottom of the screen) and then go searching for what you want.
Instagrok is a discovery and learning search engine with results in neatly formatted and interactive experiences but it does not work with Internet Expolorer (you need mozilla firefox or google chrome). Teachers might want to investigate the Edmodo link.
Google Scholar and RefSeek Documents provide access to university-standard articles. This is the kind of information you should be accessing as background reserach if you are looking for a Band 5/6 at HSC level.
Awesome Library has a teen section which categorises resources by school subjects. It is particularly useful if you are an ESL student because it includes a google search in many different languages including Arabic, Chinese and Turkish.
Twurdy- Twurdy is a search engine designed based on reading ability. It uses a colour gradient to determine the level of reading required.
These links teach you how to evaluate websites so that you can locate useful and accurate information:
University of Maryland - University College [http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/webresources.cfm]
If you still haven't found what you're lookign for, try these educational search engines:
Sweet Search is a search engine designed for students. All the websites are trustworthy, but this doesn't mean that they are easier to read or even that they are relevant to your work - make sure you use the right search terms and read the blurbs. Ivy's Search Engine Resources for Kids and Sweetsearch4me were both created for younger students.
Finding Dulcinea - is a news-style site filled with resources that whave been researched and written by real people. Some articles are clearly aimed at an adult rather than high school audience and the site has an overall US bias, but the search engine brings up relevent articles quickly.
You can also use google to find easy-to-read texts: In Google, go to the Options (gear symbol, top right of the screen), Advanced Search and scroll down to Reading Level. You have options like Annotate results with reading levels; or Show only basic results. Make your choice, make sure you click on Advanced search (blue button at the bottom of the screen) and then go searching for what you want.
Instagrok is a discovery and learning search engine with results in neatly formatted and interactive experiences but it does not work with Internet Expolorer (you need mozilla firefox or google chrome). Teachers might want to investigate the Edmodo link.
Google Scholar and RefSeek Documents provide access to university-standard articles. This is the kind of information you should be accessing as background reserach if you are looking for a Band 5/6 at HSC level.
Awesome Library has a teen section which categorises resources by school subjects. It is particularly useful if you are an ESL student because it includes a google search in many different languages including Arabic, Chinese and Turkish.
Twurdy- Twurdy is a search engine designed based on reading ability. It uses a colour gradient to determine the level of reading required.
These links teach you how to evaluate websites so that you can locate useful and accurate information:
University of Maryland - University College [http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/webresources.cfm]
Selecting Information
Rewordify [http://rewordify.com/index.php] is a site which translates all the hard words in your informastion into words you can understand. Keep it in your quick links if you are an ESL student or find formal English difficult to understand.
Organising Information
Presenting your research
There are many ways you could present your research. Sometimes the assignment includes details of how to present your work (eg and essay or speech); other times you have a choice of options. Don't just write a report unless that's what you're really good at. You could present your work as a song or online animation or role play script - be creative! This section includes links to some useful presentations programmes.
The Digital Learning Tools and Publishing Sites pages on this library website include many types of presentation technologies you may not have considered before.
Other, more general sites include:
Cool Tools for Schools [http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/]
The Digital Learning Tools and Publishing Sites pages on this library website include many types of presentation technologies you may not have considered before.
Other, more general sites include:
Cool Tools for Schools [http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/]
Creating a great powerpoint presentation
I'm sure you've had at least one experience of "Death by Powerpoint" where you got very bored while someone read out their badly-spelled and punctuated speech from slides full of distracting and irrelevant images. We all know what a bad powerpoint is like, but sometimes we make them anyway.
You can avoid these problems by:
1. Choosing ONE slide design, font and colour scheme that suits your topic and sticking to it
2. Using the 3 X 5 rule (three lines of five words or five lines of three words) to write keywords and phrases instead of writing whole sentences
3. Choosing images and symbols that represent the idea behind each slide - no random decorations
Some excellent hints for a great powerpoint can be found at these links:
Student Presentation Tips [http://presentationsoft.about.com/od/classrooms/tp/student_tips.htm]
5 tips for a great ppt presentation [http://www.inc.com/ss/5-tips-for-a-great-powerpoint-presentation#0]
10 tips for preparing a great presentation [http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-tips-for-preparing-a-professional-presentation/]
I'm sure you've had at least one experience of "Death by Powerpoint" where you got very bored while someone read out their badly-spelled and punctuated speech from slides full of distracting and irrelevant images. We all know what a bad powerpoint is like, but sometimes we make them anyway.
You can avoid these problems by:
1. Choosing ONE slide design, font and colour scheme that suits your topic and sticking to it
2. Using the 3 X 5 rule (three lines of five words or five lines of three words) to write keywords and phrases instead of writing whole sentences
3. Choosing images and symbols that represent the idea behind each slide - no random decorations
Some excellent hints for a great powerpoint can be found at these links:
Student Presentation Tips [http://presentationsoft.about.com/od/classrooms/tp/student_tips.htm]
5 tips for a great ppt presentation [http://www.inc.com/ss/5-tips-for-a-great-powerpoint-presentation#0]
10 tips for preparing a great presentation [http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-tips-for-preparing-a-professional-presentation/]