Research & Citing Your Sources
Finding good, reliable sources will help you establish a foundation on which to support your thesis. When you choose a source for your paper, remember to document it correctly for your works cited list or bibliography. Use the guides and manuals in this section to help you with this task.
Library Online Resources
Try out your scavenger hunting skills on this database quiz! Discover new databases that could help you with the research for your paper.
When you are searching for the most current information about any topic, use an online database to search magazines, academic journals, newspapers, and reference sources. To use these databases from home, you will need a library card in good standing and a PIN.
Library Materials
These books will help you with understanding the overall process of writing a research paper and how to cite your sources.
Commonly known as "Turabian style," this is a popular and flexible style manual used in the humanities and other fields. Some teachers may ask you to cite your sources and format your paper in this style.
For most high school and first-year college students, this is the manual that you will use to cite your sources and format your paper.
For researchers in the social sciences, this is the most frequently used style manual.
Websites
Step 4 of this guide created by the Internet Public Library will help you when you are ready to gather sources for your paper. Also, check out Step 5: Preparing to Write for help with forming your thesis statement.
Find additional sources with this online public library designed to serve the needs of the Internet community.
Find online dictionaries, encyclopedias, grammar handbooks, and other online reference tools using the OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue. See the sections for Dictionaries, Style Manuals, Grammar Handbooks, and Editing Resources, and Online References to quickly look up a definition or topic.
This is a helpful guide to start the research process from the OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue. Review the sections for Online vs. Print Publications, Types of Sources, and Primary Research.
This is the online version of the booklet, Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age by Diana Hacker. It features guides for documenting sources using MLA, APA, Chicago, and CSE styles. It also demonstrates the proper way to format your paper.
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Writing & Revising Your Paper
Now that you have your thesis and your research sorted out, you are ready to write. In this section, we have collected resources about the process of writing and revising your paper. Ask a classmate or teacher to proofread your paper, too.
Library Materials
Whether you need help with grammar or proofreading, these books will assist you.
We also have a collection of DVDs that will help with your writing. Be sure to check out the Upgrade Your Writing series.
Websites
In step 6 of the A+ guide by the Internet Public Library, you will find help with writing your first draft. Remember, revision is essential to creating an excellent paper.
Remember to proofread your work! This is a very important step and should not be skipped. Read this guide from the OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue about proofreading your writing.
This Resource List from the OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue is an excellent place to find various pages in one place regarding the writing process. Even if you are stuck, there is a Writer's Block/Writer's Anxiety page to help you out.
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Useful Resources
In addition to the books, websites, and online resources we've bookmarked for you, here are a few useful all-in-one resources.
Library Online Resources
Develop your writing skills with this database through practice sessions available in middle school, high school, and college levels.
This database contains biographical information on more than 124,000 writers, information on authors appearing in Contemporary Literary Criticism Select, and 11,700+ bio-critical essays on authors and their works.
This database analyzes current events and popular issues from opposing points of view. It includes full-text magazine and journal articles, reference sources, primary sources, and more.
Get help with your paper from a live tutor. Use the Proof Point service to have a tutor help you review your paper for grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors.
Virtual Galleries bring together selected library and Web resources about a topic or theme in one place. For students, the Mobile Resources and Continuing Education Virtual Galleries are two great places to find additional resources.
Websites
This website, developed by the Internet Public Library, includes an easy to use step-by-step guide to writing a research paper. Specific sections of this site were referenced throughout this Virtual Gallery.
This online resource offers short guides on writing different kinds of papers, including a comparative essay, book review, and research paper.
Purdue OWL offers guides, handouts, and self-paced workshops on writing a research paper, grammar, and citing a source. Specific sections of this site were referenced throughout this Virtual Gallery.
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