Consumer Topics Online Search Plan

If you right-click on the links on this page and click on Open in New
Window, you can refer back to this page for directions.
 

I. Question

   A. Topic : State your topic as a phrase, then think of subtopics to support your topic. For suggested topics, click on the Consumer Research Topics page.

    B. Essential Question : Turn your topic into a question to guide your research, then turn your subtopic into subsidiary questions.
What are you looking for? The answers to your questions.

    C. Assignment : Use the Information Management Process to find information to answer your essential question. The product you make depends on your teacher's specific assignment.
 

II. Locate Resources

    A. Keywords  : (List important words to use to look up your topic in an index or electronic resource.)

    B. Resources :

        1. Encyclopedias (print and online) Use encyclopedias only as a beginning point, for background information on your topic.

            Grolier Online: Use the Prince William Public Library System Databases http://www.pwcgov.org/library/ When the PWPLS page opens, click on Electronic Resources on the right. Click on one of the encyclopedias (Encyclopedia Americana, Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, New Book of Knowledge, or New Book of Popular Science). Enter your PWPLS library card number. Once you're logged in, use the search box at the lower right-hand corner of the page to do a full-text search on your keywords. Evaluate the list of results to find articles that help answer your questions. Remember to write the bibliography citation as an online database article! (See the colored links below.)

             Microsoft Encarta http://encarta.msn.com/ Many articles are available free, without the premium subscription.

             Encyclopedia.com http://encyclopedia.com/ This service, run by eLibrary, offers many free articles. Full access to eLibrary is available through the public library (see below).

        2. Online Subscription Databases These are collections of magazine, newspaper, and encyclopedia articles, as well as many other excellent resources. They are worth the money that they cost because they are professionally selected from reliable sources.

            SIRS Knowledge Source ® http://sks.sirs.com/ See the OPHS library  for username and password. SIRS Discoverer ® http://discoverer.sirs.com/ has articles that are easier to read and can be sorted by reading level.

            Prince William Public Library System Databases http://www.pwcgov.org/library/ Click on Electronic Resources in the left column. Click on a database in the right column. Type your public library card number to access the databases. You might need to choose the database again from a list.

            FindItVA http://www.finditva.com/ Choose Prince William County, and use your public library card number to access these databases.

        3. World Wide Web Sites

            Consumer Research Web Resources http://booklady9.home.comcast.net/cnsresrc.htm .

            Google http://www.google.com Remember that Google is a search engine, not a source, and should not appear anywhere in your citation..

        4. Books

            Use the OPHS Library Catalog at school (in the Novell-delivered Applications window).

             Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2004. Yonkers, NY: Consumer's Union, 2004.

        5. Periodicals (print magazines and newspapers)

           OPHS Periodicals Online http://booklady9.home.comcast.net/perioweb.htm (Links coming soon!) Many of the
magazines and newspapers that we subscribe to are also available online.

             Consumer Reports
             Consumer Research
             Car & Driver
             Motor Trend
             Time
             Newsweek
             U.S. News & World Report

        6. Interviews

             If you know someone who is a professional expert on your topic, you can get research information from interviewing him or her.
 

III. Evaluate Resources

    A. Relevant (does it have the information I need?)
    B. Readable
    C. Accurate
    D. Current (within 5 years for consumer topics)
    E. Unbiased

After you evaluate your resource, before you start taking notes,

WRITE YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY CITATION.

    A. Skim for relevant information
    B. Read for answers to questions
    C. Write notes about answers to your questions
    D. Organize information
 

V. Synthesize

    A. Combine information from different sources
    B. Combine with prior knowledge
    C. Come to conclusion based on information found
    D. Decide how to share what was learned