The Paly Research Toolkit

Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.
                                                            -Zara Neale Hurston

          
When Paly students graduate they are expected to know how to conduct research effectively, efficiently, and ethically using a variety of technology tools.  As an introduction to high school research, freshman can complete a series of seven units called the Paly Research Toolkit. The following seven units form a solid research foundation that can be applied to all curricular areas:


Unit 1: Essential Paly Technology Tools-Paly InClass Email
Unit 2: Academic Honesty & Plagiarism
Unit 3: Citation Guidelines
Unit 4: Research Process & Introduction to Resources Including the Paly Library
Unit 5: Search Engines, Search Directories, Wikis
Unit 6: Evaluating Websites
Unit 7: Online Databases

Before you begin Unit 1 put you name, class, and period on the answer sheet. Please do each assignment in order and submit your answer sheet to Mrs. Kellerman in the library. Please do not hesitate to ask Mrs. Kellerman any questions along the way rkellerman@pausd.org.   Read everything. Assignments for each unit are in RED. You can either print these units out or work directly from this webpage. All links will open separate windows or tabs, depending on which browser you are using.

Unit 1: Essential Paly Technology Tools InClass, Paly Email

All Paly students have access to the InClass electronic classroom where teachers may choose to post assignments and announcements and a Paly.net email account hosted by Google.  Teachers may communicate with you using InClass and/or paly.net email, so it is your responsibility to use these tools. 

Tip: Don’t forget to check your Paly.net email and other communication tools!  Also, your Paly.net email account allows you to use Google Docs, a very handy tool that is used by college students and professionals in the working world. 

1.1 IF YOU HAVE ALREADY CHANGED YOUR Paly.net PASSWORD SKIP THIS! Your paly email is a Google account and looks like this: rkellerman13@paly.net (first initial last name graduation year@paly.net). To change your Paly email password (your student ID number) go to www.paly.net  and click on “Student Email." Assigned Username is first initial and last name and graduation year example: rkellerman13 and Password is your student ID number. Click on"Settings" in upper right hand corner then click on the "Accounts" tab.  Click on "change passwords link." NEVER GIVE PASSWORDS TO ANYONE ELSE!  KEEP THEM SAFE! 

1.2 Your Paly.net email account gives you access to many Google productivity tools, a calendar, document center (Google Docs) and a simple website building program called "Sites."  Spend some time exploring Google's productivity tools as you may wish to use this tool to create, store, and collaborate with others on written assignments.  Log into your Paly.net account by going to www.paly.net and click on "Student Email." Open up Documents (upper left hand corner of the screen) and click on the New arrow in the upper left hand corner of the menu bar to show the type of work you can do on Google Docs.  What are the four types of products you can make using Google Docs? 

1.3 IF YOU HAVE ALREADY CHANGED YOUR InClass PASSWORD SKIP THIS! Change your InClass password by going to www.paly.net and click on "InClass." Click on “Personal Information” in the Tools Section.  Click on “Change Password.”  Write down your new password in a safe place and don’t share it with anyone. 

1.4 Log into the InClass home page by clicking on the link at www.paly.net .  All your classes should be listed in the My Courses section.  Teachers use InClass different ways, so check with your teacher to see how he/she uses InClass.  Everyone should be enrolled in a “class” called Library Information and Passwords.  Click on the Library Information and Passwords “class” on InClass. Find the list of pages connected to this "class" on the left and click on the Database Passwords page to see a list of Paly’s subscription databases (you’ll learn more about these in unit 7) and links to virtual reference sources (print books that are also available online). Scroll down to the Virtual Reference Resources section.  Click on "Gale Virtual Reference Library" (password is viking).  Search the Gale Virtual Reference Library for articles on topics relating to a current research topic.  Write down one article title and the virtual reference source that it came from.  You may want to print out the article or email it to yourself to use as a research source. (If for some reason InClass is unavailable, go to www.paly.net/library/databases.php and scroll down to Virtual Reference Resources. You will find the same collection of digital reference resources there.)

Assignment 1.1-1.4 Summary:

Unit 2: Plagiarism = Theft + Lying= Academic Dishonesty=Trouble

Paly’s Academic Honesty Policy defines plagiarism as, “copying or closely paraphrasing sentences, phrases, or passages from an un-cited source while writing a paper or doing research.”  Digital plagiarism (cutting and pasting information from the Web without citation) is a very big problem on many high school and college campuses. There are severe punishments for digital plagiarism or any other type of plagiarism at Paly.  Teachers may ask students to submit work to websites such as Turnitin.com to detect digital plagiarism.  Students who take good notes, always writing down where their information comes from (title, author, page numbers) are less likely to plagiarize unintentionally.  Igorance is no excuse for plagiarism, so pay careful attention to the following exercises that inform you about Paly's Academic Honesty Policy and how to avoid plagiarism. 

Tip:

2.1 Read the entire Academic Honesty Policy here http://www.paly.net/academics/academic-honest.php especially the part about student responsibilities.   Write down one consequence after the first offense. Are offenses cumulative or do you get to start over each year? 

2.2 Find the definition of plagiarism in The Oxford English Dictionary  (OED) Online.  For over 100 years the OED has been the most important reference work for defining words in the English language. Go to the Library Database page and scroll down to the English Music and Art Focus section. Click on the OED (username paly; password viking). Look up plagiarism in the OED and write down the first definition.  Click on the button "Date chart" and write down when plagiarism first appeared in the English language. (As you can see this problem has been around for a long time!)

2.3 Read this short article about plagiarism: http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_what_is_plagiarism.html  and plagiarism FAQs http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_plagiarism_faq.html Write three examples of plagiarism. 

Assignment 2.1 to 2.4 Summary: 

Unit 3: Cite it Right on a Works Cited Page

Most of your assignments will require that you credit your sources by creating a works cited page or bibliography at the end of your project or paper.  Sometimes you will have to indicate where your ideas came from in the body of your paper with a parenthetical reference to the author and a page number (Kellerman 4).  Sometimes you’ll be required to put footnotes at the end of a page or endnotes at the end of your paper.  These are all common ways to give credit to the sources you used to complete your research. This unit is about works cited pages.  You will learn more about citing sources in the body of your papers and endnotes and footnotes from your individual teachers. 

Works cited lists for papers and projects in English and in some History and Social Science classes need to be formatted according to Modern Language Association (MLA) rules.  Here’s an example for a book citation using MLA 7th Edition guidelines:

George, Mary. The Elements of Library Research: What Every Student

Needs to Know. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008. Print.

Papers and projects for some History and Social Science and Science classes require American Psychological Association (APA) formats.  The good news: YOU DON’T HAVE TO REMEMBER THESE FORMATING FORMULAS!  You do have to ask your teachers which citation formulas they want you to use and follow the formula guidelines. 

There are MLA and APA  formula “style sheets” available in the library and many teachers will also give you directions about how to cite.  Some students are already familiar with online citation generators such as Easybib  (http://www.easybib.com/) or the Citation Machine (http://citationmachine.net/) .  Paly subscribes to an online citation generator called NoodleTools (http://www.noodletools.com/login.php), and we want all Paly students to have NoodleTools accounts.  Online citation generators let you type in information about a resource such as title and author and then the software program automatically generates a citation.  You can cut and paste these citations into a Word document or export them into Word. 

Tips:

3.1 Create your personal account on NoodleTools and write your login information and password on the assignment sheet.  Write your login and password information down in a safe place so you can refer to it when you need it. Go to http://www.noodletools.com/login.php. NoodleTools online citation generator enables students to create and manage bibliographies and works cited lists in either MLA or APA format.  You can also create online note cards and annotate (summarize) sources. Follow the directions to create a personal ID and Register.  Paly’s account is linked to a school/library subscription.  The username is paly and the password is viking. 

Assignment 3.1 Lesson Summary: 

Unit 4:  The Academic Research Process & Paly’s Online Catalog

Academic research involves more than just a simple Wikipedia or Google search. Research is a complex process that requires imagination, understanding, time management, organization, and collaboration.  There is usually frustration involved as well, but feelings of being overwhelmed can be limited when students do the following:

4.1 Take a look at the Paly Library Website http://www.paly.net/library/ .  Open up the drop-down menu and take a look at these sections: Databases, Curriculum Links, Read!, Research. The last button takes you to the public library's online resources. Notice that the first link on the menu is the Library Catalog.  Open up the catalog and notice that the word “Keyword” is highlighted in yellow.  A keyword search only searches the Paly library.  If you click on Browse you will get information about resources in all PAUSD libraries.  We can transfer books to Paly if you find them at another library, so just write down the title, call number and library where you found the book on a slip of paper with your name and email address and we’ll let you know when it comes in, or send us an email with that information.  Practice Keyword searching in the various fields accessed through the drop-down menu (any word, author, title, subject) and find a book of your choice on any subject checked in at the Paly Library.  Write down the title and call number.  The call number will help you find the book on the library shelves.  Call numbers that begin with an  F or SC are fiction or story collection books and are organized in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.  Call numbers that begin with numbers are nonfiction books and are organized according to their subject.  For example, many factual books on World War I are found in nonfiction at 940.3.  FOR EXTRA CREDIT: Bring the book you found in this exercise to the librarian when you turn in this assignment. 

Assignment 4.1 Lesson Summary:

Unit 5: Finding Information Using Search Engines, Search Directories and Wikis

Popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo use complex computer programs to scan open access websites in response to keyword searches. Both rank pages depending on how many times a keyword appears on a webpage (relevancy) and where a keyword appears on the page (proximity).  Google also uses popularity ranking, taking into account how many times searchers link to a page when using a certain keyword.   It’s important to remember that search engines search electronically whereas most search directories use human editors to exclude irrelevant sites and include beneficial ones.  Search engines are businesses that rely on ad revenue, so be aware that some sites show up because they have paid for a high ranking not because they have the information you need.  Search engines in order of popularity are Google, Yahoo and Ask.com.  Microsoft's new search engine Bing is worth a look as well.

Tips For Using Search Engines:

Search directories use expert editors to select and organize websites.  Some directories are more tightly organized than others so it’s a good idea to read about how a particular directory is organized before you use it.  Three directories that are especially good for academic research are:

Tips For Using Search Directories:

Wikis such as the immensely popular Wikipedia are collaborative websites where any authorized contributor can share information. Anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can contribute to Wikipedia. The advantages of open-access wikis such as Wikipedia are that a great wealth of information can be shared for free as contributors don’t have to go through conventional book publishers or websites to publish their knowledge or ideas.  The disadvantages are that expert editors don’t always have a chance to check facts or to improve written entries.  If you come across an incorrect Wikipedia entry before it has been fact-checked by a volunteer editor your research won’t be reliable.  Other popular wikis are WikiHow (a collection of How-to information), Wikibooks (textbooks) and Lyricwiki (song lyrics).

Tips for Using Wikis:

5.1 Read Google’s Search Basics even if you think you’re an expert searcher. http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=134479 If you want to learn more read their advanced search tips http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=136861
In your own words share three good strategies for searching Google.   

5.2 Paly has its very own search directory called Curriculum Links.  Notice there are links under various subject categories you are likely to study during your four years at Paly. Find the Global Age link in the History Social Science section. Click on this link to view the various websites listed. Click on a link and write down the title of the webstie.

5.3  One of THE MOST important things academic researchers need to learn is how to evaluate a resource.  This skill is becoming more and more important as incorrect and inappropriate information is often hard to detect at first because it looks so "official." Because Wikipedia is one of the most popular resources consulted on the Web, spend some time reading about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:About.  Now read about using Wikipedia for research. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Researching_with_Wikipedia  Write down two advantages and two disadvantages of using Wikipedia for research.

Assignment 5.1-5.3 Lesson Summary:

Unit 6: Evaluating Websites

Always evaluate websites for information quality and reliability because anyone with a bit of knowledge about computers and the Internet can put information on the World Wide Web. Academic research is different than personal research because academic research requires current, correct, and well-documented information written by people and/or institutions who are authorities on their subjects.   Sites should be unbiased UNLESS biased information is useful to your assignment.  For more information about detecting bias check out this great resource from Factcheck.org Straight From the Source.

Tip: Look at the URL or web address to see what kind of a site it is.  Sites that carry the .gov or .edu endings are government and educational institutions and are generally pretty reliable.  Just because a site carries the.com ending doesn’t mean it is a commercial site.  If you want to know more about the parts of a web address check out this information from Fordham University http://illiad1.library.fordham.edu/onlinequiz/lesson4-2.html. 

6.1 Print out the Website Evaluation Form websiteeval and evaluate one website about a research topic of your choice that you found either using a search engine or search directory. DO NOT USE A WIKIPEDIA ENTRY FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT. First rate a website on its authority/reliability and content/currency. Then use your ratings to write a very brief summary of your findings.  If you want to see an example of a completed form for this website on Ancient Greece click here websiteevalex.

Assignments 6.1 Lesson Summary

Unit  7: Online Databases

A database is a collection of information that is organized and searchable. Databases are generally very reliable places to find current and accurate information, so teachers love them!  Data is another word for information and there are many different databases available at Paly and through the public library that deal with specific kinds of information sources, such as magazines and newspapers, or specific subjects, such as American History.     Because there is a lot work involved in organizing vast amounts of high quality information, databases cost money and are accessed via subscriptions that require passwords.  Database information is generally not available for free on the World Wide Web. 

Tip: Paly offers 13 databases while the public library offers over 40!  Anyone 14 or older can apply for a library card online.  Just follow the instructions on the library’s main page to apply for a card online http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/depts/lib/default.asp

7.1 Go the Paly database page http://www.paly.net/library/databases.php  or to the Library Information and Passwords class on InClass.  Scroll down and take a look at Paly’s database collection.  Explore the ABC-CLIO Modern History database.  The username is pahsstudent and the password is student.  Find an article or image associated with a research topic of our choice. Write the title of the article or image. You may want to print it out to use later for research.

7.2  Go to EBSCO, Paly’s magazine/newspaper database. User ID is paly and password is pausd but you should not need a password if accessing it from Paly.  After logging in, choose the Student Research Center interface.   Find a current event about a topic of your choice (ex: sports, celebrity, news event). If you are searching a name don't forget to put quotes around the words so you can search those two words together (ex: "Michelle Obama"). Write down the title of the article and the source (ex: "Michelle Obama, First Lady" Newsweek Magazine). You may want to print it out or email it to yourself for future research. For more information about EBSCO check out their online tutorial. http://support.ebscohost.com/training/flash_videos/SRCInterface.html.

Assignments 7.1 and 7.2 Lesson Summary

Research Toolkit Summary

Congratulations on opening your Paly Research Toolkit!  You should now be familiar with two essential Paly technology tools: InClass and Paly.net email.  You have read and will follow Paly’s Academic Honesty Policy.  Understanding how to take notes and cite properly using NoodleTools and other citation guidelines will help you to avoid plagiarism.  The research process is complicated and requires understanding, imagination, organization and PLENTY OF TIME.  Don’t forget to ask your teachers and librarians for help.  Finding and evaluating the vast amount of information available online via search engines and websites requires critical thinking.  Online databases are great places to find credible and accurate information on a wide variety of research topics. You will cover these topics in more depth and learn other research strategies as you complete assignments in your classes. 

Please return the assignment sheet to the library. The librarians would love to meet you and welcome you to Paly!  If you have any constructive comments about this research tutorial we welcome them.  Also, if you want to join our open-to-everyone Paly Book Club please let us know.  Thanks for your attention and hard work and best of luck with all your research! 

 

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