contemporaryissues

English 6- Contemporary Issues

 * The purpose of this research guide is to assit you in starting from the most general resources, for instance Encyclopedia Britannica, and then moving onto resources that have more specific information. When you are searching the general sources, jot down key words or key events so that you can use these terms later in other types of reference materials.**

** Information Literacy Skills: **

 * ** Students will demonstrate the ability to locate and use information resources, equipment and other technologies effectively and efficiently. **
 * ** Students will demonstrate the ability to review, evaluate and select media. **
 * ** Students will demonstrate the ability to learn and apply reading, research and critical thinking skills to organize, and synthesize information in order to communicate new understanding. **
 * ** Students will cite the sources they used to gather information for this project. **

**// AGOPP Research Process //**
** is a research strategy designed to assist students as they seek answers to research based problems. The acronym, AGOPP, represents the five steps students would use to implement this strategy successfully. Any or all of the steps can be completed by individuals or by groups. **


 * A …..Ask Questions **
 * G …..Gather Information **
 * O …..Organize Information **
 * P …..Prepare/Produce Information **
 * P …..Present Information **
 * Identify your research problem or question. **
 * Read about the issue. **
 * Analyze the problem and develop questions. **


 * Examples:**


 * Is it immoral to conduct painful and often deadly medical and scientific experiments on animals? Or do the benefits of animal testing outweigh any ethical concerns?**


 * Should students' use of cellular telephones (cell phones) be banned on school property? Or should students be permitted to use cell phones without restrictions?**


 * Does homework help or hurt students? Should teachers assign more homework, less homework, or no homework at all?**
 * Do school-imposed dress codes improve students' ability to learn in the classroom? Or are uniform policies essentially ineffective in changing students' attitudes toward the educational process?**
 * Is the video-game industry doing a good job of regulating itself when it comes to violent games, or should the federal government intervene in the industry's ratings system? Should retailers be punished for selling violent video games to minors?**


 * Gather keywords bases on questions. **
 * Choose the best source of information (books, internet and periodicals).Search for the information. **
 * Record notes and bibliographic information. **


 * **Decide which sources are best for your topic.**
 * **Identify key words and phrases.**
 * **Determine which resources will provide background information and which resources will provide more specific information with supporting details.**
 * **Use text features to identify essential information from text.**
 * **Skim and scan for information that answers your question.**
 * **Verify the "worthiness" of the information.**
 * **Record relevant information--summarize and paraphrase--avoid plagiarism.**
 * **Record bibliographic information.**

Online Subscription Databases (See Edline for the list of passwords & logins for home use)

 * **SIRS** Database contains current event Newspapers & Magazine articles. It also contains research on leading issues. The to following topics are covered: Homework, Animal Experimentation, Cell Phones in Schools, and School Uniforms.**


 * The above link will direct you to the list of issues researched in SIRS. The search box on the right will give you access to current event periodical and reference articles.** || media type="custom" key="8528960" ||
 * **Facts on File's //Issues and Controversies// contains analysis on leading issues with links to research, graphs, charts and images. Topics covered include: Homework, Animal Testing, Cellular Telephone Ban, School Uniforms, and Video Games and Violence.** || media type="custom" key="8528962" ||
 * **Encyclopedia Britainnica can provide general information articles.** || media type="custom" key="8528964" ||
 * **Encyclopedia Britainnica can provide general information articles.** || media type="custom" key="8528964" ||
 * **Encyclopedia Britainnica can provide general information articles.** || media type="custom" key="8528964" ||

**General Internet Sites**
**Gazette Newspaper**
 * http://www.gazette.net  **

[] []
 * Animal Testing **


 * Cellular Telephone Bans **

** School Uniforms ** **[]** **[]** **[]**


 * Homework **

** Video Games And Violence ** ** @http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/video.games.html ** ** @http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/walsh.html ** ** @http://www.pamf.org/preteen/parents/videogames.html ** ** @http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html **

Summarize your findings. Draw conclusions and inferences. Use a graphical organizer or note cards to arrange the information.

Use **Noodletools** for your Works Cited page and Electronic Note Cards.


 * Click image to link to the Noodletools website. Your user name is your login for the computer network at school. The password is the same as the one for when you login to the computers at school.
 * The first time you use Noodletools, follow these directions:

media type="custom" key="8528966" align="center"


 * When citing from a print book source, use the citation template distributed in class or print it from this document: [|2010 Bibliographic Cite wksh book revised.docx]




 * ** Select the most important information ** **.**
 * ** Prepare and rehearse your speech!! **
 * //** Prepare a "Works Cited" page. **//

Present the product to your audience. Evaluate your process and product.


 * //According to Write for College, "Plagiarism is the presentation of another writer's ideas or words as if they were your own, without acknowledging the source" (297).//**

media type="custom" key="8528968"

@http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/video.games.html @http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/walsh.html @http://www.pamf.org/preteen/parents/videogames.html