Please visit the handouts for information on study skills, use of the library, writing papers, the databases, copyright, and many more helpful hints you can print out.
Not all websites, like other information resources, are created equally. Here is a list of criteria used to determine quality information website:
Is there a clear responsible party listed? Who created and maintains the site? Is there contact information for both a physical address and an email (many scam companies have only the email listed)? Look at the URL endings for clues: ".edu" is usually an educational site of quality (some schools allow students to create websites using this ending so use caution); ".gov" is a site created by a government or one of its agencies ; ".com" is a commerical site and this is used fpr corporations and businesses ; ".org" is usually used for organizations but may include profit as well as non-profit organizations; "mil" is a site created by the military.. Several new endings have emerged but their use is not yet consistent enough to discuss.
Where did they get their information? Do they cite sources? Do they provide a list of websites or resources for more information?
Is the person supplying the information working in their field? Are they qualified to provide the information found on the website? In books sometimes it will be found a person has written on , for example, the archaelogy of ancient Israel, but they have no education or experience in that field. Look for this same pattern in a website by asking: why should I trust this person or groups views?
Is the website easy to navigate? The links clear and of consistant quality. When was it last updated? Current dates are crucial for some issues: such as business, politics, etc.
Is there a detectable bias or prejudice in the tone of the articles or the information give? Is the information balanced and provides both sides of topics discussed? Is there an agenda at work on the page that is clearly stated or insinuated? Here look again at the links and resources being cited; do they contain
a single view or a diverse view of the subject? 2/27/08
PLAGIARISM = Using any words, ideas, concepts, phrases, images, or results that are not your own creation. Using copyrighted material as your own.
CITATION = Properly giving credit to the author, originator, research, or source of any ideas, words, concepts, phrases, images, or results that are not your own creation.
COPYRIGHT = The legal process of insuring that an originators rights are protected and that they do not loose money or owenership of the original work. Example: Making copies of a book so that somebody does not have to buy a copy - defrauds the rights of the copyright owner (publisher or author or creative force responsible) of the reasonable expectations they had of making profit for their work.
QUOTATION = When using anothers words you must use quotation marks to indicate they are not your own words. "They are included in quotation marks, like these."
PARAPHRASE = When a work is paraphrased there is no direct quote signaled by quatation marks. This does not mean that you may quote exactly and call it paraphrase. This does not mean that you may paraphrase and not give proper credit through a citaton. A paraphrase is more a synthesis of what you understand from reading the text, combined with other thigns you have read or heard and how you understand how they all relate.
Research Tips: Start as early in the semester as possible. Use the syllabus for some ideas of topics, people, themes, etc. Talk to your instructor for advice on possible subjects to write about. Listen to lectures, make notes, and review the questions they create: there may be some excellent research topics waiting for you to use.
STEP 1 (Thinking and asking questions).
STEP 2 (Reading) and explore the textbook, newspapers, books, and magazines for information.
STEP 3 (ROUGH OUTLINE) begins after you have read and when you begin to think about how it all fits together.
STEP 4 (Rough Draft) emerges as you begin to think about putting your questions, the answers you found in your reading, and your own opinions down on paper in sentences and paragraphs. Remember the "Five Paragraph Essay" (Introduction, followed by 2-3 supporting paragraphs, with a conclusion/summary following behind).
STEP 5 (Final Copy) presents to the instructor a paper free of grammar errors, a logical presentation of the topic, a blending of facts and your opinions or views, with no plagairism and proper citations.