Studying social studies teaches you about how to research.
If you're taking a class in English, History, Education, Law, Policial Science, Art History, Architecture, Communication, you will be writing research papers.
Why do I need to research at all?
1. Research widens the depth of the class and students have to use the information to create a work of their own. Classes cannot go into detail about the subject or field and research provides opportunities to students to find out more about the class that interests them. As you research, read and write, your brain is shifting the material from short term memory to long term memory. You will know all about the subject when you're finished. Usually, teachers then ask for an oral presentation so you can share your finding with the class. This is not to intended to prolong the torture, but to prepare you for making presentations in the workplace or in college. Oral presentations are required for the workplace as a teacher I know this first hand. However, other jobs require presentations and speeches.
Question #2 How can research help me in the real world?
I remember several years ago, my husband wanted to put an antenna on our roof. Our housing association ( they keep the neighborhood looking nice or so they say...) said no one in our neighborhood was allowed to have antennas. So, my husband did some research and found out that since he was using the antenna to get broadcast stations which were controlled by the Federal Government (the big guys in Washington D.C.) and they said it was okay to have an antenna on your roof. So my husband wrote a nice letter to our housing association and cited the FCC (Federal Communication Commission ) laws which allowed us to have an antenna. In social studies, you will learn that Federal laws trump any state and local laws. We did not get a response from them. I joked that they said "Ooops.". Lesson: Basic research skills will help you know where to look to find the right information to defend yourself.
Question #3 What if I have to write a research paper?
Above all, don't panic. Research papers are standard assignments and with practice, it will become easier. Even if you don't choose to be a history major in college, most high school students have to demonstrate research writing.
1. The hardest part of a paper is choosing a topic. I know this sounds crazy, but a well choosen topic can make your paper much easier to write. Trust me. I highly recommend that you talk to your instructor about your topic BEFORE you start. A short 10 minute conversation with your teacher will save you tons of grief.
Why? A some students pick topics that historians have written entire books about. You cannot write a five page paper on the Cathedral at Notre Dame in Paris. The topic is too broad and too big. You'll be researching too much with too many sources. Talk to your teacher and found out how to trim it down.
If you're interested in write a paper on cat cults in ancient Egypt, you've picked a topic that's too narrow and you will need to add more to the topic to be able to complete the assignment.
If your teacher gives you a list of topics, pick one of those that most interests you. Your teacher knows the field and knows what topics are possible.
2. Your paper can only be as good as the sources you choose like the quality of the ingredients in a recipe. This part of the process teaches you about critical thinking. What sources are reliable? Where can I go to get accurate data?
Your sources are the building blocks of your paper. It will make or break it. Even now after years of writing and researching, I still realize how important this is. Just because it's a book on a shelf, the first Google hit, or a bestseller doesn't mean it's a good source. The great thing about researching in the age of the internet is that I didn't have to go to the library. More resources, books, primary sources are converted to electronic media as we speak. This is a good thing.
However, there is a dark side (insert evil chuckle here) that anyone can write something and get it out there for you to read. This source may have solid agruments, great writing, it covers your topic, but when you look who wrote it: the writer is not an expert in the field, but a journalist and this is their first book. Good source or not?
If you said yes, I'm going to send the history police after you.
Don't get me started on Wiki(evil)pedia.
Here are some criteria that I use:
A. A good primary sources comes directly from eye witnesses. The first one you find might not be the best one. Try several primary sources not just one. This doesn't mean that you cannot use newspaper articles who are not eye witnesses from the time, but use these to add detail to your main primary sources.
B. A good secondary source written by an expert:
historians, archelogists, sciencists, statistians are a few. Check their degrees. The source should say where they studied or if they teach. A article written by an associate professor from Podunk College remains on the shelf.
C. A good primary or secondary sources come from reliable associations. National Geographic, PBS, an accrediated university or college (MIT, Yale, UVA, GMU, etc.) are good sources. Go to government sites US Federal Government, The National Archieves, The Library of Congress. Try major museums like the Smithsonian, Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY), The Louvre often has online exhibitions on a variety of subjects.
D. Good secondary sources are written with a balanced approach. The authors mention good and bad things about their topic and then draw reasonable conclusions.These sources are not trying to prove a point before they begin, but look where the historical records point them. Evidence =conclusion. DO NOT consider a source that starts with a conclusion and finds evidence to support it.
E. Be ye warned, if your source is tapping into your emotions. This occurs more in popular media. If it sounds too fantasic or too dramatic than it's not a good source. This happens all the time on TV. If you choose to use a movie, that's fine, but you need to make sure that it's not sensational. No doom and gloom with dah-dah-dah-dum!!!!
F. Statistics are great, but understand that numbers can make shaky evidence sound true. Good statistics are taken from studies that are completed with all variables taken into account. Not all studies are done with such care. Gallop is a good source for stats on current topics. Another way of getting data, is to use a periodical article that is peer reviewed. This means that other experts in the field have read and approved the data.
Question #4 When I'm finished writing, I turn it in, right?
When I was a senior in high school, my English teacher assigned a major research project. She assigned the paper in September and it was due in December. After the projects were turned in, my teacher told me privately that most of the papers did not include a resource list (gasp!)
You MUST cite all of your sources that you've used in your paper or it is considered plagerism--this is stealing and it's against the law. If you don't know how to do this, there are examples of citations at your school library. You can also use the website called OWL (online writing learning) from Purdue University here. Any question about citations can be answered there. Therefore, there are no excuses for poor citations. Hot tip: Keep track of your sources as you research! This part of the process is time-consuming if you have several sources. Make sure you give yourself enough time to do this very important step.
Question: What about photos?
Do not copy and paste! There is no difference between copying a photo and finding your wallet missing. However, if you find media that is in the public domain, you can use it. Public domain means that the copyright laws do not apply because the image may be too old or the owner/artist/photographer has released that image for everyone to use. Wikicommons is a great place to get photos, but you must cite your source. Read the info below the photo and Wikicommons will tell you how to cite it. If you're on a website and want to use a photo, click on a small tab called Terms and Conditions and that page will tell you if you can use their photos.
Lastly...
If you have questions or confused about research, ask your librarian at school. They are great at finding information and they feel under appreciated. Make their day and ask for help.
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