Biography Research Paper

Research Process:

  1.  Task Definition.  What is your question?  Is it a good question?  For example, What in this person’s earlier life led him/her to do great things?

  2.  Information Seeking Strategies.  Where should you start looking?  Just THINK at this point.

3.  Location and Access.   Print everything out to hand in with your rough draft or final copy. 
        If you can't find what you need, let the librarian worry about getting it for you.

    ---Xerox the print World Book encyclopedia article. Make sure you have the correct works cited information..
    ---Access and print out the World Book Online article.  Be sure to choose the Print Article option on the webpage, 
because you will get the correct citation at the bottom.
    ---Use the Spectrum 5 Online Catalog to locate a biography book in our library.  Remember, last name first.  If the library doesn't have one,
the librarian will help you find other sources.  We may have a chapter in another book and can get you a book through the public library.
    ---Use EBSCOHost listed under Databases to find a magazine article about your person.  Be sure to choose the Print Article option on the webpage to get the correct citation (MLA).
    ---Here is a great collection of web-biographical information.  It's a good place to start searching the web. Print your web article. 
    ---If you are Googling websites, use only websites from edu or org for the most accurate, recent information.  Like this:
                            "franklin d. roosevelt" site:edu        or        "rosa parks" site:org

4.  Use of Information. 

5.  Synthesis.  Put it all together according to your assignment.  It could be a research paper, poster, PowerPoint, oral presentation, etc.
Whatever the final product, you still need to cite your sources.

6.  Evaluation.