There are many types of projects that require research. Often you will be asked to research a topic, write a paper or presentation, and list your resources. This means gathering a good deal of information, organizing it, and presenting it in a logical order. Your teacher will tell you what is required for your project, and here are some resources to help organize your thoughts and information into an excellent final product!
 Organizing a research paper
Internet Public Library A+ Research and Writing
A step by step guide to researching and writing a paper, tips on searching on the web and in the library, and links to handouts about specific parts of a paper and the writing process (thesis statement, note organization, etc.).
OWL, the Online Writing Lab of Purdue University
A large helpful site, here are some main sections.
Writing Research Papers, A Step-by-Step Procedure
A checklist of steps, from choosing a topic to writing citations
Writing a Research Paper
Details on nine major steps of a research paper
Handouts/Guides
General Writing Concerns
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Research and Documenting Resources
Basic Steps to Write a Research Paper
Written by Holly Samuels of Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, this is an easy to follow guide to the different steps of the writing process.
Style and Citation Guides-MLA, APA, Turabian
A paper is often required to be written in a certain style, following specific guidelines. The following guides and links discuss the requirements for three common styles, including footnotes or in-text references, print and online citations (a "bibliography" of works used), and title page layout.
APA Style Guide
MLA Style Guide
Turabian Style Guide
Bibliography compiler
Easybib.com will help format MLA style references. If you choose this option, it is a good idea to double check your citations before turning in your work.
What makes a Web site a good resource?
When you use the Internet to conduct research, it is important that you are cautious and selective about the sites you choose for information. The following general criteria should be considered when evaluating web sites:
Accuracy - Is the information clearly presented, free of grammatical and spelling errors, and verifiable in another source? Are the sources of information cited? Are individual articles signed or attributed?
Authority - Who is responsible for the site? What is the purpose of the organization or person that sponsors the site? Does the site provide contact information in the form of an address or a phone number? Is the material protected by copyright?
Currency - Is the site up-to-date? Is the date of the site's latest revision posted and, if so, when was it updated?
Objectivity - What is the site's purpose? Is the information unbiased? Is the site trying to inform, explain, entertain, advertise a product, or promote a viewpoint?
For further information regarding the evaluation of Internet resources, see the following sites:
Ormondroyd, J., et.al. How to Critically Analyze Information Sources.
This site from Cornell University takes an in-depth look at the evaluation of information resources in general.
Schrock, Kathy. Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators: Critical Evaluation Information.
This guide from Discovery.com contains evaluation surveys for elementary, middle, and secondary school levels and has additional information on web site evaluation in a school setting.
Branham, Craig. A Student's Guide to Research with the WWW
This site breaks down information into types of sites as well as evaluation criteria.
Make Sure your words are your own
Copying someone else's work is wrong, and illegal. Plagiarism is defined by Webster's dictionary as "taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own." It is important to take the information you find in your research and present it in your own way, with your own words. The style guides give you guidelines on how to credit your resources, and how to utilize quotes. See the Don't Be a Copycat for help on understanding and avoiding plagiarism.
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