Concordian International School

Research Guide
Created and Compiled by Kelsey Hedrick
MYP/DP Librarian

Table of Contents:
Academic Honesty
Citation Guide: How Do I Cite Media Within My Work?
Citation Guide: How Do I Cite Different Media?
Citation Guide: How Do I Make a Works Cited Page?
Library Resources Page
Primary and Secondary Sources
Variety of Sources (Other Places to Find Information)
Search Logic
Using Wikipedia (A Helpful Research Guide)
Evaluating a Web Site
Creating Key Words

Academic Honesty
The Concordian Mission Statement says that Concordian promotes academic
excellence while nurturing young people to become moral and intellectual
leaders, people of dignity, integrity and compassion, who want to make a
difference in the world.
Academic Honesty exemplifies this mission and the values widely held among
academics. As a Concordian student, you are responsible for being a person of
integrity and a moral leader, especially in the area of academic honesty.

What Does It Mean to be Academically Honest?

Honest Students Dont Cheat or Collude
Cheating and collusion mean that any act of giving or receiving aid during a task
that has been designed as an individual assessment. Collaboration is how
Concordian students learn: we discuss ideas, share thoughts, and talk about
work! However, giving answers to homework instead of helping a friend find their
own answer is a form of cheating.
Examples of Dishonesty:
Copying or using the work of another student
Giving your work to another student to use
Telling another student an answer
Using notes, phones, or any forbidden materials during an assessment
Honest Students Dont Plagiarize
Plagiarizing means that you take ideas or words from another person and pass
them off as your own. Great ideas build upon the work of others; however, credit
must always be given to those people or works where the information or words
come from.
Examples of Dishonesty:
Taking ideas or words from a source without acknowledging it
Giving word that has ideas or words that are not your own
Not acknowledging sources in your work, images included
Copying and pasting from websites
An academically honest student:
Keeps and maintains his or her own personal notes
Presents only his or her work for assessment, formative and summative
Acknowledges help or contributions from other people
Asks what external help is allowed to achieve a task,
Clearly acknowledges all sources when using information taken from
another place
Becomes familiar with this handbook and understands all rules

Citation Guide
An academically honest student cites their sources correctly. Adding citations to
your work show that you acknowledge help from others, demonstrating your
academic skill.
Citations:
help you remember where your information came from
help your readers/viewers find more information
give credit to the original author, with their great ideas and work
give additional value to your work
help you improve as a student and as a responsible global citizen

How Do I Cite Media Within My Work?

To add authority to your writing, include parenthetical citations throughout your
essays, reports and papers. This means that after you quote anothers writing, or
paraphrase their ideas or words, you include a reference to a full citation at the
end of your essay. This is typically done with parentheses, the authors name,
and a page number.
Every time you use a quote, an idea thats not yours, or paraphrase someones
words, you should have an in-text citation.
This can be done in several ways:
Cite the author within the text, with added information for reference.
Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a spontaneous overflow of powerful
feeling (263).

Cite your quote in parentheses with the author.

Romantic poetry is characterized by the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings
(Wordsworth 263).

Cite what you paraphrase.
Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).

If there is no page number, like on a website or with a video, just cite the first item
that appears in the citation, like the author name, article name, or website name.
Wordsworth was instrumental in launching the Romantic Age in English Literature (William
Wordsworth).

How Do I Cite Different Media?

Cite a Book:
Last name, First name. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of
Publication. Medium of Publication.
Green, John. A Fault in Our Stars. New York: Dutton Publishers, 2012. Print.

Cite a Whole Website:

Author. Title of Website. Publisher or Sponsor of website (or n.p.), Date of
Publication (or n.d.). Medium of Publication (web). Date of Access.
qz.com. Quartz News, 2015. Web. 2 Mar. 2015.

Cite an Article on a Website:

Author. Title of Article/Page. Title of Website. Publisher or Sponsor of website
(or n.p.), Date of Publication (or n.d.). Medium of Publication (web). Date
of Access.
Kim, Jeanne. Youre probably using one of these terrible passwords. qz.com. Quartz
News, 20 Jan. 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2015.

Cite an Image:
Artist or Photographer. Name of Image. Medium (Photograph). Title of Website.
Publisher or Sponsor of Site, Date of Publication. Medium of publication
(web). Date of Access.
brandychloe. The Great Horned Owl. Photograph. Webshots. American Greetings, 22 May
2008. Web. 5 November 2014.

See more information on the library website or on the many citation guides
available on the internet.
A Note about EasyBib: While EasyBib and other citation machines seem easy,
there are often flaws associated with them. Often, EasyBib cannot find
publishers or dates, and adds URLs to your citation. The machines provide
considerably less accurate work. Use it with caution. Be sure to check your
citations.

How Do I Make a Works Cited Page?

A Works Cited page goes at the end of a document. It includes a list of all your
references and tells the reader where they could follow up. A Works Cited page
gives full citations for every source that you directly cited in your paper. You can
also include a Bibliography, which provides sources that you viewed and learned
from, but didnt actually cite.

No n.p. and n.d. in the

citations, if possible.

Write the words Works Cited at

the top of the page and center it.
Works Cited

Dean, Cornelia. "Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet." New York Times.
New York Times, 22 May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.
Ebert, Roger. "An Inconvenient Truth." Rev. of An Inconvenient Truth, dir. Davis
Guggenheim. rogerebert.com. Sun-Times News Group, 2 June 2006.
Web. 24 May 2009.
An Inconvenient Truth. Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Perf. Al Gore, Billy West.
Paramount, 2006. DVD.
Milken, Michael, Gary Becker, Myron Scholes, and Daniel Kahneman. "On Global
Warming and Financial Imbalances." New Perspectives Quarterly 23.4
(2006): 63. Print.
Nordhaus, William D. "After Kyoto: Alternative Mechanisms to Control Global
Warming." American Economic Review 96.2 (2006): 31-34. Print.
---. "Global Warming Economics." Science 9 Nov. 2001: 1283-84.Science Online.
Web. 24 May 2009.
Uzawa, Hirofumi. Economic Theory and Global Warming. Cambridge: Cambridge
UP, 2003. Print.

Alphabetize your entries.

Double space your work.

Library Resources
Navigate to the Concordian Library Page:
http://concordianlibrary.weebly.com/mypdp.html
Credo Reference
No Password Necessary On Campus
This is a great place to begin your research. Credo has a fantastic mind map
feature that allows you to see unusual connections between your topic and other
key words you wouldnt have thought about.
Gale: Student Resources in Context
Password: research
This site is incredibly valuable to your research. Gale is a strong database
because you can browse topics, find a variety of resources quickly, and easily
cite your sources. Gale has academic journals, encyclopedia articles, news and
magazine articles, and other media about all kinds of topics.
Issues and Controversies
Username: Concordian, Password: media
If you are planning on tackling a controversial topic, this could be a valuable
resource for you. It takes certain topics and gives a supportive side and an
opposing side. This site could clarify some of the issues from different
viewpoints. Planning a debate or a persuasive paper Its very useful.
JSTOR
Use your own credentials from an email link the librarian sent at the
beginning of the school year. If you need it resent, let the librarian
know.
JSTOR is a premier academic database, with detailed works from respected
authors. You can find journal articles about a multitude of topics, often with
intensive methodologies and results sections.
Britannica Encyclopedia
No password necessary at school
Britannica is an excellent encyclopedia, full of articles about a variety of
topics. You can easily change the reading levels based on your abilities, and the
site can even read to you! The site is very easy to browse. If you want to look at
the news, at a new topic, and inquire, this is the site for you.
Blooms Literature and Criticism
Username: Concordian, Password: media
Find criticism and notes about a variety of literature here on Blooms. This is a
great place to begin for any English or Theatre assignment, with information
about both authors and their works available.

Primary and Secondary Sources

In many documents, IB asks for a variety of sources. They ask for primary
sources and secondary sources, but what does that mean? Here is an example
of sources, to guide you through your research.
Primary and Secondary Sources are different through the disciplines. Depending
on the subject, you may need to display very different research skills.
Humanities (Arts, History, and Social Sciences)
Primary Sources

Secondary Sources

A primary source is an original document

containing firsthand information about a
topic.

A secondary source contains commentary

on or discussion about a primary source. The
most important feature of secondary sources
is that they offer an interpretation of
information gathered from primary sources.

Autobiographies
Diaries
Eyewitness Accounts
Interview Transcripts
Legal Documents
Letters
Original works of art
Photographs of the topic
Original Research
Video Footage of the topic event
Works of literature

Biographies
Indexes, Abstracts
Bibliographies (used to locate a secondary
source)
Journal Articles
Literary Criticism
Monographs written about the topic
Reviews of books, movies, musical
recordings, works of art, etc.

Sciences (Math, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry, etc)

Primary Sources
A primary source is an original document
containing firsthand information about a
topic.

Conference Papers
Correspondence
Dissertations
Diaries
Interviews
Lab Notebooks
Notes
Patents
Proceedings
Studies or Surveys
Technical Reports
Theses

Secondary Sources
A secondary source contains commentary
on or discussion about a primary source. The
most important feature of secondary sources
is that they offer an interpretation of
information gathered from primary sources.
Criticism and Interpretation
Dictionaries
Directories
Encyclopedias
Government Policy
Guide to Literature
Handbooks
Law and Legislation
Monographs
Moral and Ethical Aspects
Political Aspects
Public Opinion
Reviews
Social Policy
Tables

Variety of Sources
When you begin researching, you may get stuck looking for a variety of sources
and only finding one. Google is a great tool, so use it to find new types of
sources! You can use this guide as a way to seek alternative sources of
information.
Expand your Research
Newspapers (Print or Online)
Magazines (Print of Online)
.Com: Commercial Sites
.Edu: Education Sites, From Schools
.Gov: Government Owned Sites
.Org: Organization Sites
Government Reports
Blogs, Chats, Discussion Boards, Tips (Use Wisely)
Interviews of Others: transcripts, videos, or recordings
Photographs
Artwork
Academic Journal Articles
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Dictionary and Encyclopedia Articles
Documentaries and Television Programs, Film, YouTube Videos
Radio, Sound Recordings, Songs
Primary Research: Your Interviews, Your Observations, Your Experiments, Your
Survey Data

Search Logic
Let Google search better for you.
You can search complex questions to get the fewest, most
relevant hits. Google searches can bring up really excellent
information, but make sure youre searching exactly what you
need.
search a phrase if youre looking for an exact phrase, use quotation marks.

Example: imagine all the people to find the exact lyrics of Imagine.
-search if you want to remove a word.

Example: jaguar cat speed : Find the speed of a Jaguar car.

site:search Search for something within a particular site.

Example: site:bbc.com thailand : Find articles from BBC about Thailand

Related:search Search for sites similar to ones you already know.

Example: Related:buzzfeed.com : Find sites like Buzzfeed to browse

Filetype:suffix Google will help you find files that you want to find.

Example: Filetype:pdf pandas : Find a pdf file about pandas.

If you are using a database, or the library search, use simple words and phrases
to get the most hits.

Source: Torneo, Megan. How I Search for Information. Ohio University

Libraries. Ohio University, 5 Nov. 2013. Web. 2 Feb. 2015.

Using Wikipedia
Wikipedia can be a great resource for you as you begin projects. Most teachers
will not allow you to cite work from Wikipedia, but it is a great place to begin your
work.
Here are some tips for using Wikipedia effectively in research.
1. Consult the Table of Contents
Use the table of contents to browse
different topics and narrow your topic.
If you are working on the Roman Empire
as a topic, focus on one piece that you
want to cover.
You may be able to find something you
didnt expect, and reading the context
will help you clarify your work.

Roman
mpire
excerpt
from Wikipedia
As the E
first
emperor,
Augustus
took
the official position that he had saved
the Republic, and carefully framed his
Every blue link in Wikipedia leads to another
powers within republican
article. This is very helpful for you, because you
constitutional principles. He rejected
can follow the links to additional information.
titles that Romans associated with
monarchy, and instead referred to
Using a phrase like Roman Empire will give you
himself as the princeps, "leading
lots of resources, maybe too many!
citizen". Consuls continued to be
elected, tribunes of the
However, using princeps as a search term will
people continued to put forth
give you a more focused set of articles.
legislation, and senators still debated
in the curia.
2. Find Search Terms and Key Words

3. Utilize Sources and External Links

Wikipedia has begun tracking
their sources, and this is great
for your research. Now, you
can find the same information
at more reputable websites.
REMEMBER that you should
still use your site evaluating
skills when using these links.
They are not always
reputable.

Screenshots and Image Source:

Roman Empire. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 12 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Sept.
2013.

Evaluating a Web Site

There are many things to consider when you are researching. Here are some
questions to ask of your websites, to ensure that they are good resources.

Authority:
Check the author's credentials and affiliation. Is the author an expert in the
field? How can you be sure?
Does the resource have a reputable organization or expert behind it?
Are the sources of information stated? Can you verify the information?
Can the author be contacted for clarification?
Check for organizational or author biases.
Scope:
Is the material at this site useful, unique, accurate or is it derivative,
repetitious, or doubtful?
Is the purpose of the resource clearly stated? Does it fulfill its purpose?
What items are included in the resource? What subject area, time period,
formats or types of material are covered?
Is the information factual or opinion?
Does the site contain original information or simply links?
How frequently is the resource updated?
Format and Presentation:
Is the information easy to get to?
What is the quality of the graphical images? Do these images enhance the
resource or distract from the content?
Is the target audience or intended users clearly indicated?
Is the site easily browsable or searchable?
Cost and Accessibility:
Is the site available on a consistent basis?
Is this a fee-based site? Can non-members still have access to part of the
site?
Must you register a name and password before using the site?

Source: Checklist for Evaluating Web Resources. USM Libraries. University of

Southern Maine, 2015. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

Creating Key Words

When choosing key words, try to find short phrases that capture the concepts
you want to find out about. Think about it like finding the key concepts and
related concepts that you learn about in classes.

Check out this example:

Fast food creates health risks for children.

Fast Food

Health Risks

Children

Ive divided my research question into three main concepts. I could research
each of these concepts to find out what I need.
Im going to brainstorm some related concepts to help me find more
keywords.
With each of these topics, what kinds of things could I focus on? I want to
think about broader topics, narrower topics, and synonyms. If I cant think of
things, Ill browse the internet until I find something similar, then add the new
vocabulary to my brainstorm.
Fast Food:

Health Risks:

Children:

Unhealthy
Diabetes
Teens
McDonalds
Obesity
Kids
Burger King
Illnesses
Adolescents
Deep Fried
Academic
foods
performance
Sugary foods
Immune
Nutrition
system

Diet
Processed

Food


Now that I have a large number of keywords, I can try them in different
combinations. I can use different databases to search for information.
processed food + obesity + teens = processed foods causes obesity in
teens.
McDonalds + Diabetes + kids = the effects of McDonalds, especially diabetes,
in kids (often age 10 or younger).