introduction making a source list preparing a works cited list talk about it your turn

IntroductionMaking a source listPreparing a Works Cited listTalk About ItYour Turn

Tech Tools in this presentation• Google Docs• EasyBib

Capturing Your Sources

Finding any one book, article, or Web site in the millions of information resources can be next to impossible—if you don’t know where to look.

Introduction

Ever hear the expression “like finding a needle in a haystack”?

You will want to keep track of the sources you use in your research for two main reasons:

• As you write, you might need to go back to a source to check your information.

• Other people might want to see the sources that you use in your research.

Introduction

Otherwise, you’ll find yourself frustrated—like this student, who needs to return to one of her sources but can’t remember where she found it.

When you find a valuable source, you should record information about it so that you can find it again if necessary.

It takes time to find good sources of information.

Where did I get this

information?

Making a source list

A source list is a place to keep track of the sources of information that you think you might use.

This list will change as you work. If you find a new and useful source, you will add it to your list. You might also decide not to use a source and remove it from your list.


You can create your source list on notebook paper, in a document on your computer, or by writing each source down on a separate notecard.

1. Record information that tells you who wrote and published each source and when.

2. Give each source a number. (You’ll use this later.)

To create a source list:


1. Thornton, Kim C. The Everything Labrador Retriever Book. Avon: Adams Media, 2004. Print.

The information for each type of source—book, newspaper article, Web site, and so on—must be recorded in a specific way on your source list.

To cite a book, give the name of the author, the title, the city where the book was published, the publisher’s name, the year the book was published, and the medium of publication (print).


Thornton, Kim C. The Everything Labrador Retriever Book. Avon: Adams Media, 2004. Print.

For a magazine article, you need the author, the title, the name of the magazine, the date it was published, the page numbers, and the medium of publication (print).


Grunwald, Michael. “The Clean Energy Myth.” Time 27 March 2008: 15–19. Print.

For a Web site, you need the author’s name, the title of the Web page, the date it was published or last updated, the medium of publication (Web), and the date you viewed it.

Hoadley, Rick. “How Do Magnets Work?” Magnet Man. 16 Sept. 2006. Web. 28 June 2008.


Tech Tool: Google Docs

Google Docs is a free online tool that might help you with your source list.

All you need is a Google account, and you are ready to begin.

Google Docs enables you to create word-processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations online.

There are several advantages to creating your source list on Google Docs rather than in a computer’s word-processing program:

1. Your document will be available on any computer with Internet access. You won’t have to worry about moving your document among computers at school, at home, or at the library.


2. With Google Docs, you can allow other users of your choice to look at or add to the document.

If you are creating a group project, everyone in your group can add sources to your list.


3. Google Docs has easy-to-use features. You can

• publish your work to a blog or Web page to share with an audience.

• print your work whenever you want.

• save your work to your regular word-processing software at any time.


You will continue to use your source list throughout the research process:

Preparing the Works Cited list isn’t difficult. Delete the numbers on your source list. Then cut and paste, or rewrite, the listings in alphabetical order.

A Works Cited list is an alphabetical listing of all the sources you used in your work.

to create your Works Cited list

while you are drafting your document

during note taking

Preparing a Works Cited list

You include a Works Cited list for two important reasons:

1. To make it simple for someone else to find a source that you used. Your reader might want to know more about your topic after reading your project.

2. To give credit to all of the people whose ideas you used in your work. If you don’t do this, you are claiming that all the ideas in your work are your own. This is called plagiarism.

Preparing a Works Cited list

Tech Tool: EasyBib

Don’t you wish you had a tool to make creating your Works Cited list easier?

EasyBib is a free online tool that will do just that!

Tech Tool: EasyBib

To use EasyBib, choose the type of source you are using and whether it is a print or online source.

Camp, Vic. “How Volcanoes Work.” Department of Geological Sciences. San Diego State University. 31 Mar. 2006. Web. 30 June 2008.

Then fill in the blanks with the information about your source.

EasyBib will create your citation in MLA format.

Talk About It

Discuss the answers to these questions with your classmates.

3. If someone used your work as a source for his or her research project, how would you react if you weren’t included in his or her Works Cited list?

2. Creating a Works Cited list is a necessary step in the research process. Why is this step important for both writers and readers?

1. Why is it necessary to use other people’s work when you create a research project?

Your Turn

Do the following on paper or in a computer document.

1. Select three sources: • a book• a magazine article • a Web site

2. Create a citation for each source, using EasyBib or the information in the “Making a source list” section of this presentation.

3. If you use EasyBib, print out a copy of your citations.

Your Turn

• Book citation:

• Magazine article citation:

• Web site citation:

The End

introduction making a source list preparing a works cited list talk about it your turn

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