Getting Started
Citations
Copyright

Copy and Paste
Note Cards

The PCHS
Research Room

Information Literacy
Plagiarism
Sample Research Papers
Thesis Statement
Topic Selection

PCHS Cybrary
Linkon Center
PCHS Cybrary
Almanacs
Atlases
Databases
Dictionaries
Directions
Directories


The PCHS
Reference Desk

Documents
En Español

Encyclopedias
General Info
Movies
Quotations

Go Ahead...Straight to the Hottest Internet Spots

Galileo      High School Ace      Internet Public Library       LibrarySpot      Multnomah County     RefDesk 

   Altavista      Google     Yahoo             


Getting Started...
Back to Top

No, we won't do it for you and we don't have old term papers on file but....do come in and let us help.
At this site we offer links to topic ideas, citation guides, sample papers, information about plagiarism and copyright, how to go about beginning and finishing your research, and links to a variety of reference works.
Research Guide - An excellent detailed research study guide - a how to do research from thesis to plagiarism, to web site evaluation to a rubric for self evaluation of your own paper and everything in between. Even how teachers can find out if you've plagiarized!.
The Big Six - A concise step by step process to getting started.
Go straight to our list of references if you are ready to start finding your information. If you're not quite ready, consult some of the other links on this page.

 


Citations
Back to Top

EasyBib.com - It should make the citations for you but check with your teacher after you do a couple to make sure it's still functioning as it should.
Noodle Tools at http://noodletools.com/quickcite may sound wacky but it works smart. Format your references quickly in MLA style.

Slate Citation Machine - Having trouble with those citations? This also makes citations but may be a little dated. Check with your teacher after processing one or two.

The Write Source - at http://thewritesource.com/mla.htm find detailed information about MLA style.


Note Cards
Back to Top

Why do you have to have note cards? As you look for your information, you find it in bits and pieces and you can bet your dog's collar you will not find it in the order you want it in your paper. With note cards, you can categorize your information and arrange it the way you want it to appear in your paper. Then you just need to connect it all as you write. How easy can it be?!
The best way to take notes from the Internet is to copy and paste. To do this:
  1. Open a Word document
  2. Save it on a disk or the hard drive
  3. Browse the Internet article of interest
  4. Highlight the part(s) you'd like to keep
  5. Right click and copy
  6. Paste it into the Word Document
  7. Go back to the Web and right click on the Web address bar and choose "Copy"
  8. Paste it in the word document under the text
  9. Type in the current date
  10. Draw a line beneath the date like this
Today's Date

__________________________

 

Hey, you've just created an electronic note card and the line tells you where to cut your paper into "note card" strips.

Now, you're ready for the next "note card". Yeah! One down!

Of course you'll have to take this information and load it on a note card as your teacher instructs.


Copyright
Back to Top

Not sure what copyright is? Let 'The United States Copyright Office' answer your questions. For more information, visit Stanford University Library's copyright site. It has excellent hyperlinks to all areas of copyright as well as other web sites. It also has a search engine that allows you to search for your specific copyright question.

We have information in the teacher lounges regarding copyright law.

 


Information Literacy
Back to Top

Someone who is information literate recognizes what information is needed. S/he is able to locate, evaluate, and use the needed information effectively. These skills are important in our age of rapidly changing technology and escalating information resources. This information must be judged for authenticity, validity, currency and reliability.

Information literacy should not be confused with information technology "fluency" which focuses on an understanding and skilled use of technology. Although the skilled use of technology is often helpful in the pursuit of information, it is not the same as information literacy.

This Big Six site, with information from ERIC digest, list the following steps to information literacy.

 

Task Definition

Define the task (the information problem).
Identify the information needed to complete the task.

Information Seeking Strategies Brainstorm all possible sources and select the best source.
Location and Access Locate sources. Find the needed information within the source.
Use of Information Engage in the source (read, hear, view, touch). Extract relevant information.
Synthesis Organize information from multiple sources.
Present the information.
Evaluation Judge the process (efficiency).
Judge the product (effectiveness).



For more information, See Getting Started)


Plagiarism
Back to Top

Taking the thoughts and words of others and presenting them as your own is called plagiarism and is against the law. Many people make their living through their ideas and writing and plagiarism is a form of stealing. In order to use others' words and ideas in an acceptable manner, it is important to give credit to the author. This is called citing the author. There are several formats to use to cite authors. ALA and MLA (the one used at PCHS) are among the most popular forms of citations.

 

Indiana State University has a clear site that explains plagiarism and the Web and gives ways to recognize unacceptable and acceptable paraphrases.


Sample Research Papers
Back to Top

Sample Papers in MLA

http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/humanities/pdf/Hacker-Daly-MLA.pdf


Topics
Back to Top

PCHS Media Center Magazines - come on in and browse the magazines for hundreds of great ideas.

Although w e have tried to list only reputable sites, we cannot guarantee the appropriateness of all the sites or the links that may be accessed through these sites.

If you know of other sites that should be listed here or
if you find links that no longer link please email me, Gail M. Poole at gpoole@peach.12.ga.us.

This page was created and is updated by Gail Malone Poole,
a media specialist at Peach County High School in Fort Valley, Georgia, USA
You may contact her at gpoole@peach.k12.ga.us
Site last updated April 29, 2004.
Back to Top