Welcome to the Maine East High School library's guide to research on controversial topics and current social problems. This site was created to walk you through the stages of research. You may either scroll through the entire site or click on the links below to get to the relevant step.

The first step in any research process, whether it's writing a paper or buying a new car, is to define the task. Know what you are trying to accomplish. Look at any handouts you may have been given in class. Your teacher will roughly outline the research project, but you will be responsible for deciding what it will be about and how it will look in the end.

Before you pick a topic and begin writing, take some time to look at the materials available to you. Get a feel for the information that is out there before you form a thesis statement. Remember, even if you feel strongly about one side of a controversy, it is important to look into the opposing view as well.

Starting Points

When looking for a research topic, consider starting with the following resources:

• Books
  A small selection of books from the Maine East library will be pulled for your class. Take a look at some of the topics. Remember, this is only a small sample of topics available.
• Opposing Viewpoints
  Look through the list of topics on the home page or try typing in a topic in the search bar.
• CQ Researcher
  Another resource dedicated to covering "hot topics."
  *Also available in print and in Spanish.

Before starting your research in depth, make sure you have formed a research question that you want to focus on. For example,

• How does violence in the media affect children?
• In what ways is plastic surgery beneficial to society?
• Should schools require uniforms?

Once you have your task defined and a research question in mind, you can begin to look through through the resources. Check your assignment to see if you are required to use certain types of materials (for example, a book, a database source, and a webpage).

If Maine East does not have enough books on your topic, keep in mind that we can get books from Maine South and Maine West, as well. To search all three school libraries at once, once you are in the online catalog, change the "Library" to "ALL."

• DesPlaines Public Library
• Glenview Public Library
• Morton Grove Public Library
• Niles Public Library
• Park Ridge Public Library

Links to all of the databases the library subscribes to are available on the Library home page. Recommended databases for this project are:

• Opposing Viewpoints
• CQ Researcher
• Student Resource Center
• EBSCO magazines

These are only four recommendations. Feel free to explore others.

The internet should be the last place you look for information. While there is a wealth of information available on the internet, it can be overwhelming, time consuming, and often unreliable. Some of the databases, such as Opposing Viewpoints and Encyclopedia Britannica will recommend websites. When possible, use these recommendations as a starting point. It will make your job much easier.

Keep your research question in mind when looking through sources. Don't waste time taking notes on information that doesn't directly relate to your research question.

Remember to check both the table of contents and the index of a book before deciding whether to use it or not.

Database Search Tips

• Check your spelling.
• Use only one word or a short phrase. The database will get confused by complete sentences.
• Try variations of words.
• If you want the words you use to stay together, add quotation marks. For example, “Equal Rights”
• Too many results? Try using a more specific search word or combining words.
• Too few results? Use a more general word or phrase.
• Change the search from subject to keyword.

Using Internet Sites
Before using an internet site, it is important to evaluate it. There are over 8 billion websites currently searchable through Google. Who decides what gets published on the internet? Can you trust the information you find there? Before using any website, remember your ABC’s.

• Authority: Who wrote the site? Is there any background information on the author?
• Bias: Is it clear that the author feels strongly one way or the other about a subject and they are letting that influence the quality of their work?
• Citations: Does the author let you know where he or she got the information?

After you research, look at your question from step 1 again. Did you answer it?

If you haven't already, it's time to develop a thesis statement. The simplest way to do that is to rephrase your question as a statement.

Cosmetic surgery is beneficial to society because of x, y, and z.

Check your notes. Do all of your notes relate to your statement and can you arrange them in a logical order?

Now that you have completed your research and formed a thesis statement, it is time to put together your final project. Check that you are clear on the class requirements. Are you writing a paper? Giving a presentation? Be sure to check any class handouts for instructions.

When your research is completed, you will be turning it in for a grade, but before this formal evaluation, there are a few steps you can take to evaluate yourself.

First, did you answer the research question you set in the first stage of research? Have you provided support for your thesis statement?

Is everything formatted correctly? Have you met your teacher's requirements? Have you used the correct number and type of sources? Are all of your sources correctly cited (hanging indent, alphabetical, etc.)?

In the final evaluation, your teacher will have a rubric that your research will be graded with. You may also be evaluated using the Information Literacy Rubric.

Good luck with your research. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your librarians!