Category Archives: research

Welcome Mr Scolnik’s BTT101 Classes

Infobase Learning, research

Online Library Resources for Travel to the Developing World

In addition to the resources listed on your worksheet, the library has several very good resources that are available for your individual countries.

Images:

Your presentation needs pictures. Start in the menu above under Library Resources>MPC Databases>Britannica Image Quest. (Get the Password Bookmark from your Librarian or the Circulation Desk)

Go to the Virtual Library Page under Library Resources>Virtual Library

In QuickFINDS under Images  choose Pics 4 Learning and Countries

 

Fast information:

Still, in QuickFINDS under information, start with ProQuest CultureGrams. Choose World Edition and see if your country is listed.

 

For additional information, or if your country isn’t listed in CultureGrams, choose Britannica and select the High School level.  Other levels will not have as much information on your country.

For more detailed information, use the Search function instead of QuickFINDS. But don’t forget to select the grade level FIRST.

Here you can find the CIA World Fact Book, Foreign Language News and Newspapers, Research Success 2017, Unesco, World Bank Databank, and the World Health Organization.

 

 

 

Back here at mpclibrary.ca choose Library Resources>MPC Databases>Modern World History Online.  You can research your individual countries for ideas for slides 11-14. On the country page, skip to the bottom for modern history.

For current events in your country choose Library Resources>MPC Databases>Advance Placement Database.  You can limit your search to newspaper articles only on the left side, for example.

If you speak French, don’t forget our Liens français above.

Check out the TDSB Virtual Library

Announcements, books, citations, databases, Encyclopedia Britannica, Infobase Learning, research

Visit our virtual collection online.  You can access it on the menu above under Library Resources and Catalogue, Encyclopedias, and Databases. It’s much easier to use than before, and you can access all the same resources more quickly.

icon_catalogue[1]Our catalogue for books and resources in our collection is now on the top left. Go here to find the location of a book in Non-fiction, Fiction, Reader’s Picks or Graphic Novels.

icon_quickFindsEncyclopedia Britannica is now under quick finds and is your fastest way to good, reliable information on a number of topics. CultureGrams and some video sources are also here.

icon_searchAll our databases and resources are now combined in one unified search engine.  You start by choosing grades 9-12 at the bottom of the page. You can still access the databases one at a time, as in the past, using A-Z databases.

icon_spacesmyBlueprint is moved to Spaces-Teens-Your Future. In the Teen Space you can also find the Community Involvement Form and OEN Lookup.

icon_inquiryCitation helps are found by expanding Inquiry – Citation on the left, or through the citation button on the Inquiry tile, but don’t click directly on Inquiry because you can’t access the citation helps there.

icon_francaisFrench resources are much more conveniently grouped together under Français. Access to french encyclopedias, eBooks and games is now available with one click.

icon_publicLibraryDon’t forget the Public Library for your 8 free movie rentals a month, and a much larger collection of magazines, eBooks, and book reviews that are all available online.

You’ll find that the new Virtual Library is much easier to use, since the most popular resources are all one click away. If you can’t find something, or if you would like to see something on our mpclibrary.ca homepage, just ask.  There’ll be more to come in the weeks ahead.

You don’t have to wait for your class to come to the library.  Stop in for a visit as soon as you want, periods 1-3 on a spare, or outside class time. We have a great space and we’re here to help you.

ICS: Research and Citations

academic honesty, citations, research

Welcome to the library!  For your research on computer issues, you should begin with the Canadian Student Research Centre.  If you are using Google, make sure to evaluate the websites you use with CARS (Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Support)

Learn about MLA style in-text citations from this video.  Then play a game to see what you’ve learned.  Talk to your librarian about what you might need to work on (refer to the handout “How to Cite Your Sources in a Presentation”)

Literary Theory Research

authors, presentations, research

For research on Literary Criticism, check out Bloom’s Literary Reference (under Library Resources> MPC databases) and the Literary Reference Center (under Library Resources > Catalogue, Encyclopedias and Databases >Databases).  Also search the Gale Virtual Reference Library, where a number of online books can help you in your search for good quality information  (under Library Resources > Catalogue, Encyclopedias and Databases >ebooks).

The following websites are also useful:

Introduction to Modern Literary Theory

Dr. Kristi Siegel’s basic overview of many literary theories.  Also links to other professors’ sites.

Literary Resources on the Net

This page features a collection of links curated by Jack Lynch, a professor in the English department, of the Newark campus of Rutgers University, specializing in the English literature of the eighteenth century and the history of the English language. It is no longer maintained, but some of the links are excellent.

Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism

This is the site from Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) – fairly in-depth articles.  Bonus – just a page away from all the writing and citation help you’ll ever need! (Has ecocriticism)

Critical Theory: Introduction to Literature

Concise articles by Washington State U Professor of English Michael Delahoyde giving overviews of the different schools of criticism.

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

This is a peer-reviewed site with academic articles; I’ve linked you here to Prof. Vince Brewton’s article on Literary Theory.

NEW: Take a look at how I cited sources in a presentation. (Note- this is in Prezi. Don’t do your presentation in Prezi.)

Grade 9 Business at Your Library

academic honesty, citations, databases, research, , ,

As a class, we will go over the concepts of plagiarism, academic honesty, and citations, as well as reliable sources.  We will use this handout on Citation for Beginners to guide our discussion, and view the tutorial by Acadia University called “You Quote It, You Note It”.

On your computer, you will review reliable sources by doing this activity:

Online Scavenger Hunt for BTT

Then you will practice your citation skills by doing this activity:

Computer Citation Practice for BTT

Your name is collected along with your responses for both activities; you will be assessed!

 

To review what you have learned, check out Research Tutorial’s video on In-text Citations.

Welcome, Grade 9 Geographers!

geography, research, , , ,

In your library class today, you will be learning about all of the great sources available to you for geography research.  This research activity requires you to use a Google Form, which you access by clicking the link below and entering your tdsb email address.

If you have not activated your tdsb email address, here’s what you have to do:

1. Log on to a computer.

2. Click on the AW link on the desktop.

3. Click on the Mail tab and follow the prompts to set up your account.  Your address will be firstname.lastname@tdsb.on.ca

Now, about that research activity.  Make sure that you follow all instructions carefully and record answers fully in order to receive full marks!

Click here: Best Sources for Geography Know-How

 

 

Check out our new catalogue

Announcements, databases, research

image002Our new online library catalogue system is up and running. It is the first link on the virtual library page. You can access it under Library Resources above.

Some new features are web access from anywhere, book covers, location aids, social media, and direct access to eBooks. We also have better visibility for new books and popular titles. Let us know what you think.

Civics Research

civics, research

What makes a source reliable?  There are a few basic things to look for: a qualified author, good information, and a recognizable name.  A good source is also clearly marked as an opinion piece if it is, and does not contain opinions if it is not (i.e. a newspaper editorial vs. a newspaper article).

Canadian Student Research Centre is a database that pulls together information from reputable newspapers, magazines and other media from all over the world.  Its search function allows you to refine your search easily by giving you a list of suggestions, so you don’t have to be overwhelmed by choices. Click on the link above and start finding your reliable sources now!

 

Thesis Statement Help

law, research, , ,

Writing an argumentative paper is a challenge for many people, but it is an important skill to learn.  What is an argumentative paper? Purdue university’s Online Writing Lab says:

An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01

The argumentative paper needs a thoughtful and interesting thesis.  Examples of good and bad theses can be found at the U of T online writing help site:

http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/planning-and-organizing/thesis-statements

Building a thesis should start with planning.  Use this map to guide you:

http://www.northernhighlands.org/cms/lib5/NJ01000179/Centricity/Domain/223/WORKSHEET_Building_Your_Thesis_Map.pdf