 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
Searching - Don't Take Notes Yet
First you need to find the best sources of information to take notes from. In this stage, you'll create a list of possible sources with a rating identifying which sources are the best.
How to Search
Where to Look
The Internet and Google will often result in fake or bias sites. Online databases provide academic and media articles which can provide the information you need. Ohter sources include books, interviews, videos, or even doing an experiment yourself. <learn more>
Searching Efficiently
When you type your topic into Google, you will probably get over 1 million possible sites listed. You don't want to have to search through every possible source to find the best ones. By typing in keywords (parts of your focus question), you'll be able to reduce the number of "hits" and find better sources of information.
Similarly with online databases, if you ask for "full text", and specify multiple "subject terms", you'll find better articles faster. <learn more>
Skimming
Remember, we're trying to make a list of the best sources, not take notes. There's no point reading if this isn't one of the best. Learn how to skim through the sources to see what they offer. When you learn to skim properly, you can evaluate the sources quickly, and move on to taking notes sooner. <learn more>
Last updated: April 4, 2008