Research+Journal

=#1 – Topic & Audience= toc Write your topic. Who is your audience? Why did you choose this topic?

=#2 – Access Information=

List the resources (websites & books) you have searched. List the subject directory you searched. DMOZ, Yahoo Directory, or another. What did you find? Was it useful? Include resources that were useful and not useful to help your classmates with their research. Answer the 5 Ws for one of your websites:
 * **Who?** – Who is the author? How can you find out more about the author? Can I contact the author? //Look for the author or sponsoring organization. Google the author’s name–look for information about them–who are they? Are they an expert on the topic?//
 * **What?** – What is the purpose of this site? What else might the author have in mind? What type of advertising is on the sight? //Can you find a purpose for the site? Look for about us. Are they trying to sway your opinion?//
 * **Where?** – When was the site created? When was the site last updated?
 * **Why?** - Where does the information come from? //Loook for works cited, references or links. A responsible site will direct you to other useful site covering similar topics.//
 * **When?** – Why is this information useful for **my** project? Why should I use this information? Why is this page better than another?

Use this checklist - save and paste it in your blog

=#3 – Database Search Terms= EBSCO Infotrac- Student Resource Center List the keywords you will search for in the databases. If you are searching for a person you may have only one. List synonyms you can use – these can also be broader or narrower terms. List at least 3 different search strings you used. A search string is when you use more than one keyword for a single search. See example below. Did you find any other subject terms after your initial search? The databases may have suggested subjects listed on the left side of the page. Did you use any of these suggested terms?
 * Before searching:**
 * After searching:**

**Example Answers:**
My topic is The origin of the Olympics in Greece Olympics AND origin Olympics AND history OIympics AND Greece OR Greek
 * Keywords**: Olympics, origin, Greece
 * Synonyms**: history, beginning, Greek
 * Search Strings:** These are the searches I conducted:

While I was searching EBSCO listed subjects that gave me more relevant results.

=#4 – Reasearch Direction=

What is your thesis? Your thesis is the single most important sentence of your entire paper. Your thesis may change throughout the research process. You may not have your thesis clearly defined until the end of your research when you have collected all of your information. Formulate 5 or more questions you may want to know about your topic. What type of image are you going to display? Are you going to draw, take a picture, build or create a digital image, etc?

=#5 – Select and Evaluate Sources=

Are your web sources reliable? ***Remember: reliable sources are current, unbiased and information can be matched to two other websites.*** Does the information you found fit your thesis? How? Show evidence. Cite all of your sources in MLA Format as a blog post.

=#6a – First Body Paragraph=

Post answer to first question here in paragraph form. Use correct content and grammar.

=#6b – Second Body Paragraph=

Post answer to second question here in paragraph form.Use correct content and grammar.

=#6c – Third Body Paragraph=

Post answer to third question here in paragraph form. Use correct content and grammar.

=#6d – Fourth Body Paragraph=

Post answer to fourth question here in paragraph form. Use correct content and grammar.

=#6e – Fifth Body Paragraph=

Post answer to fifth question here in paragraph form. Use correct content and grammar.

=#6f – Introduction and Conclusion=

Post introduction and Conclusion in paragraph form. Use correct content and grammar. Intro: Hook, Overview & Thesis Conclusion: Summarize, So What?

=#7 – Organize and Structure=

Is my writing done? Have I answered my questions completely? Have I followed my outline? Why or why not? Does my paper still match my thesis? Why or why not? Did my peer editor give me constructive feedback?

=#8 – Evaluate Your Work=

This is perhaps the most important area of your research log. Describe your process along the way as well as your final evaluation of the journey. Let your audience–your teacher and fellow researchers–understand that journey, its successes and pitfalls. What did you enjoy, hate, worry about, learn? Am I proud of the product? Is this the best work I could have done? How well did you use your time during each phase of the process? How well did you make use of the human resources available to you: the librarian, your teacher, classmates, others? If you had the opportunity to do this project again, what changes would you make in how you went about the search and research process? What is more important the final destination or the journey that took you there?
 * What’s worth more: the process or the product?**