For nothing contributes so much to tranquillize the mind as a steady purpose-a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.
~ Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein
Research
To research something means to purposefully look for valuable and viable information on a specific topic. The information found provides you, as the reader, with more knowledge about the topic. This information, along with your own experiences, provide you the opportunity to join the conversation about your topic. You can formulate your own conclusions, helping others see the topic in a new light.
Research is a recursive process that allows for the rethinking, rephrasing, reimagining, and reframing of a topic. Research involves careful searching and, as the topic becomes more clear and simultaneously more complex, more and more searching. Successful research will create an enormous gap between what you knew at the beginning and what you understand at the end. This understanding can only be accomplished through reading; real reading means immersing yourself in the topics and experts. You should even go beyond this by thinking in new and divergent ways about your topic, by allowing the inevitable spiral of questions to emerge, by searching laterally for topics next to your topic, and by persisting. Research is an adventure.
Research is a recursive process that allows for the rethinking, rephrasing, reimagining, and reframing of a topic. Research involves careful searching and, as the topic becomes more clear and simultaneously more complex, more and more searching. Successful research will create an enormous gap between what you knew at the beginning and what you understand at the end. This understanding can only be accomplished through reading; real reading means immersing yourself in the topics and experts. You should even go beyond this by thinking in new and divergent ways about your topic, by allowing the inevitable spiral of questions to emerge, by searching laterally for topics next to your topic, and by persisting. Research is an adventure.
Annotations
Annotations help us, as writers, deconstruct the text. It helps practice close reading and analysis skills through interaction. The notes we create when annotating allow us to remember the connections and inferences we made during the reading process. In doing so, we can formulate conclusions and consider further investigations that may need to occur. In other words, it helps us, as the reader, formulate and support our ideas about a topic. Construct an informative paragraph that addresses the element listed below. The focus of this paragraph should be only on the one source.
- MLA Citation: To format, review the Purdue OWL website as well as the back of the Étude High School Academic Planner.
- Summary: What was the source about? Provide a brief (one to two sentences) summary of the source.
- Argument: What was the author's argument? What does the author believe to be true about the topic?
- Evidence: What evidence does the author use to support their argument?
- Inferences: How does the text help you shape your own argument or understanding of the topic? How does this text help guide your future research? Has this text changed how you think about your topic? If so, why? How?
Martin, Lauren. "The Science Behind Nostalgia And Why We're So Obsessed With The Past." Elite Daily. N.p., 06 Aug. 2015. Web. 26 Sept. 2016. In this article, Lauren Martin discusses the idea that people tend idealize the past just as they do the future. Researcher, Alan R. Hirsch, is quoted referencing to nostalgia. Hirsch says the memories people tend to have from the past are “ not a true recreation of the past, but rather a combination of many different memories, all integrated together, and in the process all negative emotions filtered out.” Hirsch doesn’t believe that nostalgia is related to memories at all, but rather that nostalgia relates to an emotional state. The article states that people put an emotional state within era, or a specific frame, and choose to idealize that specific time. Martin also writes about the effects of nostalgia on those with depression. For many years people who experienced a lot of nostalgia were thought to be depressed, however, since more research has been done, it is now believed that nostalgia may counteract depression. This is because when people speak fondly and lovingly of the past, they also tend to become more hopeful for the future.
Hanging Indent: It get the hanging indent as seen above, follow these step.
Click your cursor on the second line of the citation.
Hit Enter - Nothing will appear to happen on the screen, but this breaks the connection between the first line of the citation and all the lines below it. 
Make sure your cursor is still on the second line. Then click the Arrow Right tab in the toolbar. Research Types
- Scholarly Articles: These are articles associated with scientific research, written professional experts.
- Disciplinary/Art Models: Historical, analytical, and/or technical research associated disciplinary or artistic model. Definitions and descriptions of artform techniques, historical research of artists and movements, professional examples of related creations.
- Community Connections: (personal interviews, blogs, surveys, YouTube videos)
Research Resources
Scholarly journal databases:
- ERIC: Education Resource Information Center
- EBSCO Academics
Discovery Education
Google Scholar: Google Scholar is a scholarly journal search engine. This means that the articles found are from accredited universities and research groups. Be aware that you may not receive access to all documents listed in the search results; some universities may restrict documents to only those attending the school. You may want to run a separate Google search using the documents title.
Library of Congress: The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world. Its digital website files historical written records.
Digital Public Library of America: The Digital Public Library of America is the hosting site for materials hosted at libraries, museums and archives throughout the United States.
National Archives: The National Archives is a government hosted site that digitally files all of the documents and materials created by the United States federal government.
Google Scholar: Google Scholar is a scholarly journal search engine. This means that the articles found are from accredited universities and research groups. Be aware that you may not receive access to all documents listed in the search results; some universities may restrict documents to only those attending the school. You may want to run a separate Google search using the documents title.
Library of Congress: The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world. Its digital website files historical written records.
Digital Public Library of America: The Digital Public Library of America is the hosting site for materials hosted at libraries, museums and archives throughout the United States.
National Archives: The National Archives is a government hosted site that digitally files all of the documents and materials created by the United States federal government.
Digital Commons and university hosted digital collections: Digital Commons and university hosted digital collections are online resources acclaimed universities use to host and publish the work of their scholars. Each university has their own site, so this does require you to do an initial Google search. Some links to major universities:
Government sanctioned websites are also a strong source of information. Even if there is a specific agenda behind the website, the information provided is supported by some type of research.
Major media entities and publications. Typically, blogs and wikis are forums to stay away from in research. They usually present bias and unverified information. Instead consider media sources such as:
Government sanctioned websites are also a strong source of information. Even if there is a specific agenda behind the website, the information provided is supported by some type of research.
Major media entities and publications. Typically, blogs and wikis are forums to stay away from in research. They usually present bias and unverified information. Instead consider media sources such as:
- New York Times
- Time Magazine
- National Geographic
- Harper's Magazine
