The Paly Library Research

Research is a process that, depending on the task, can be brief (consulting the phone book to find out who delivers Chicago style pizza at 2am) or lengthy (think AP US History).  Academic research usually requires a works cited page or a bibliography at the end of a project that tells readers where and in some cases when you found your information.  It is against Paly's Academic Honesty Policy to steal other people's ideas or use them without giving them credit (plagiarism). When taking notes keep your ideas separate from those you summarize and put quotation marks around language written directly from another source.

Use the citation guide provided by your teacher or create works cited lists using NoodleTools, a subscription-based citation generator found on the Web for writing MLA and APA works cited lists. See a teacher or librarain for login and password information and then set up your own accout. THIS IS A VERY USEFUL TOOL. You can also consult UC Berkeley Library's page on citing resources.   The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 6th Edition is available at the circulation desk.

There are many ways to think about the research process. The first step is always to figure out exactly what your assignment is and how your project will be evaluated. For long projects it is helpful to do a timeline noting when things are due so you don't have to do everything at the last minute. Librarians can be very helpful with finding resources, so ask us questions! Check out some of these research strategies and see what works for you.

• Big Six created by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz
• Internet Public Library Teen Space Research and Writing Tips
• Online Writing Lab (The OWL at Purdue University)
• Outline Making Tool