9th and 10th Grade English: Home

For your argumentative paper you will want to use a variety of resources: books, journal articles from databases, and credible web sites. Use the database page to find links for the databases and online catalog for books.  There are also ebooks available through Ebsco and MackinVia.  Use the search engine page to find credible web sites.

Choosing a topic:  Sirs has lists of topics, Points of View has topics to choose from

 

Research:

Search Techniques:

 use a Keyword search
use Boolean searches (and, or, not):  Cloning NOT fiction
use quotation marks around phrases such as:  Human rights NOT fiction

Think of related words: if your topic is "Green Movement"  try looking up environment as well.

Or, if your topic is "international homelessness" try searching homeless and look in Table of Contents and Index for subtopics.

Try a variety of searches; don’t give up after one search

 

Online Catalog:  Search for your topic.  Use general phrases; don't get too specific; example: cloning NOT fiction  or fracking NOT fiction

Ebooks: Some of the ebooks will show up in the online catalog and can be opened directly from there OR

go to Mackin Via, Gale Virtual Reference Center, Ebsco Ebooks.  The ebook resources and online catalog can be found on the Databases page.

 

Databases:

Sirs Researcher: an excellent resource for argumentative papers.  It contains leading issues, pro-con sides with articles supporting each side,  notes organizer.

·         leading issues: top pick a topic, some topics are marked “new”

• ·         Show Pro/Con:  different viewpoints---yes or no
• ·         Look at articles below
• ·         Click on an article to find citation and tools for saving and printing: use MLA!
• ·         Do not put articles in your favorites
• ·         Show research tools: the note organizer, the topic overview, timeline, and statistics
• ·         The note organizer can save:  use the template for writing to persuade—they will send you a link

 

Points of View: use the charts/graph link on the right of the page

• You can sign in to leave notes
• You can pick a topic
• Overview of article: point and counterpoint
• Link for charts/graph on the right

 

Proquest:

·         put in search; click full text (very important or may not get full text!!)

 

·         results: use suggested topics, scholarly journals; you can choose between text or pdf file (abstract is a summary.)

 

·         source citation: click on “cite this” in the toolbar—make sure you choose MLA!

 

Ebsco:

·         select a couple of databases such as Megafile and MAS ultra and click continue

 

·          limit to full text (very important!!!)

 

·         Results: use subject headings on left to help you narrow results to a specific topic. Also look at the description; if it is a book review, it may not help you

 

·          Use toolbar at top to save, email, etc. Source citation: Click on Cite this article in the toolbar and use the MLA citation

 

 

***For most databases, do NOT add an article to your favorites, use the tools to bookmark or save a site. Otherwise, you may only have a temporary URL and not the actual URL