Personalize
 
 
Research Right
Free Guide and Worksheets
Home    In Class    Presearch    EdBlogs    EdFAQ    EdPress    ESL    Free Materials    Newsletters
Research Right    Active Reading    Citations    Breakin' it down    Write Right   
Starting a research project is exciting, but the process is often frustrating for students. To reinforce the skills necessary to conduct thorough and organized research, we have prepared this Research Right guide and its accompanying worksheets. Instead of searching through numerous sites and jotting down random notes, students can use Research Right as a tool to help them focus and organize information that is pertinent to their final product. Go over these steps each time your class begins a new research project, and they'll be getting their research done right in no time!

Remember: Answers.com continuously updates its content from more than 100 well-known reference titles, dynamic content sources and video.

Step 1: Presearch

Before students begin researching or brainstorming, they first need a basic working knowledge of the topic they have chosen to study. Suggest that students start by looking up a general definition of the topic in a dictionary or other reference source.

Step 2: Brainstorm

Based on their general knowledge of the subject, students can now brainstorm a web of related subtopics. The subtopics should be broad enough that students can find a couple of facts related to each one. These subtopics will later become the essay's body paragraphs.

Step 3: Narrow

Once students have brainstormed a list of subtopics, they need to narrow their choices to 3-5 subtopics (or the number of paragraphs they will subsequently write). Encourage students to choose subtopics that interest them, so that they will enjoy the final step - the research process.
Tip: Answers.com has a built-in citations tool for each entry. Just click on the "Cite" button for an instant bibliography in MLA, ALA or Chicago style.

Step 4: Research

With well-defined subtopics in mind, students can now start the process of finding and recording the information they need, keeping it organized with the graphic organizer below. Remind students to cite the sources of all information they plan to use in their essays and projects.