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Mission:

The mission of the CBA Markert Library program is to teach information literacy in collaboration with classroom teachers within the context of the content curriculum, inspire and develop a love of reading, and provide diverse materials and services to enable students to become life-long learners and effective users of information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big 6 Research Method

1.1. Define the problem

1.2 Identify the information requirements

Steps 1.1 and 1.2: Develop your questions/research plan on your own.

Format:  text, maps, pictures, audio and video, charts and graphs

2.1 Determine kinds of sources

2.2 Prioritize sources

Books, Internet, magazines, encyclopedia, documentaries, newspapers, interview (experts), databases

Prioritize according to your need; make sure you are not using encyclopedias as cited sources.

Science and academic: peer reviewed journals are the most authoritative

3.1 Locate actual resources

3.2 Locate information

Books: 300's for social issues, including law; 600's for science information

Databases: Gale, CQ Researcher

Internet: Google, but be sure to credential your source

Recommended sites:

Law issues for consumers

U.S. Supreme Court

Time's top 10 Controversial Cases

Cornell's Supreme Court Cases by topic

American Psychology-Law Society

ACLU

FYI: West is the primary legal publisher in the US; Westlaw is the database from that company.

4.1 Engage (read, view, interview)

4.2 Extract (make notes)

Take notes electronically, making sure to capture info for citation.

Citation generator

You are responsible for the accuracy of your citation, not the generator or the database vendor.

5.1 Organize information

5.2 Present information

The Works Cited page will be the last page of your paper.

Make sure that your Works Cited page follows MLA formatting: 1" margins, 12 point Times New Roman font, with resources in alphabetical order in hanging format.

MS Word MLA help

Use proper MLA date formatting:

Heading: 21 October 2009

REMINDER: NO general encyclopedia entries are acceptable as sources.

6.1 Judge the product

6.2 Judge the process

What did you learn about your legal issue? What could you have done to make your essay stronger?

What did you learn about planning your research? Sources?

The "Big6™" is copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For more information, visit: www.big6.com