Extended Project Qualification

1. Extended Project Qualification • Common mistakes made by students: • They rely on Internet searches for their research and ignore other key sources • They don't critically evaluate the quality of the information they find • They copy information from the Internet and don't acknowledge their source How do I …… ? Getting Organised Evernote - http://www.evernote.com/ - use this software to help you make a note of things as you see them, using your computer, phone, and the web.

2. PUPILS You will need to develop some advanced Internet research skills. Useful advice on web searches Extended Project Qualification NO Wikipedia How do I …… ? Search engine conversation Pit falls of internet research VIDEO - SIX EASY QUESTIONS to evaluate The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Quiz Top ten Hints

3. Where to start? Focus Strategise Refine Evaluate Start on paper What do you already know? Where are the gaps in your knowledge? Think of keywords and phrases Use more than one example to widen your search What kind of search engines are you going to use? Extended Project Qualification How do I …… ?

4. Ask the experts? These sites really work – there are experts who will come back to you with answers! Recommended sites: Source: Pocklington School’s EPQ introduction. allexperts.comThis site claims to have answered a million questions, which can make searching through the archives a challenge. Its experts are volunteers and include lawyers, doctors, engineers and scientists. Advice is free; most questions are turned around within a day. Ask A Mad ScientistDespite the frivolous name, and some horrible design, the question section at madsci.org is free and informative. With 36,000 questions answered by the 800 scientists on its books, it’s hard to think of something they haven’t already figured out. Peake, Mike. "The 10 Best 'Ask an Expert' Websites." Times 31 Jan 2010, Print. Extended Project Qualification How do I …… ?

5. Free Internet Most of us use search engines and meta search engines to access the free internet Quick and easy to use: Search engines http://www.google.co.uk/ Meta search engines http://www.dogpile.com/ http://www.ixquick.com/ http://vivisimo.com/ http://uk.altavista.com/ Extended Project Qualification • All students: • Try ONE of these sites and report back after half term. • How easy was it to use? • Good help feature? • Hardest part? • Was it useful? How do I …… ?

6. Search tip Look at librarians Internet index http://lii.org/ Invisible web directory http://www.invisible-web.net/ http://websearch.about.com/od/invisibleweb/a/invisibleweb.htm OR http://websearch.about.com/od/invisibleweb/The_Deep_Web_Find_Out_More_About_The_Deep_Web_Deep_Web_Search.htm OR (source: about.com http://websearch.about.com/od/invisibleweb/a/invisible_web.htm) Search for subject portals or gateways in your subject area Use “databases” in your search query Extended Project Qualification How do I …… ?

7. Keeping asking … Click to display Are they - CREDIBLE check credentials of sites, authors, web addresses ACCURATE compare sources RELIABLE what is the aim of the site? Check for bias RELEVANT quality not quantity. Does it answer the question? Use the URL address extensions to check the type of site: .com or .co.uk .edu or .ac or .sch .gov or .gov.uk .org Extended Project Qualification How do I …… ? • Which DOMAIN is most trustworthy? • Which is most up to date? • Which is least biased?

8. Invisible web directory http://www.invisible-web.net/ Databases • Organised, searchable collection of materials • Filtered and evaluated by publishers, authors etc. • Invisible to robots, spiders and crawlers OPACs • Online Public Access Catalogue • Can be accessed from anywhere • Examples, British Library, University and Public Libraries • Search by author, title, keyword The usual search engine swill not find this information

9. Invisible web directory http://www.invisible-web.net/ Use subject headings on catalogue entries to find more resources Original Search “bovine tb” The usual search engine swill not find this information

10. Advanced search There is always more than one way to describe your search Brainstorm synonyms Nouns are better than verbs as verbs tend to be vague Put the most important words first Incorrect spellings can be a problem – use the spelling help Each search engine / tool uses a different syntax or specific language. Extended Project Qualification How do I …… ? Boolean operators: AND OR and NOT Use “to treat words as a phrase” ~ Use a tilde to search for synonyms Search in lower case unless you are searching for names Info sheet Advance Google searches Video tutorial (5 mins)

11. Plagiarism Alert • Unless the work you submit consists entirely of your own words and ideas, you must acknowledge and list the sources which you use to avoid plagiarism. • You should refer to sources through the use of citations, and if you are using the exact words of another author/writer you must attribute these with quotation marks. • All of the following are considered plagiarism: • Usinganother person’s work or ideas (for example, copying and pasting text or images from the internet) without crediting (citing) the original source • Passing off someone else’s work as your own • Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks • Quoting, summarising or paraphrasing material in your work without citing the original source • Changingwords or phrases but copying the sentence structure of the source and not crediting the original author • Citing sources you did not use Extended Project Qualification How do I …… ?

12. Plagiarism Alert Unless the work you submit consists entirely of your own words and ideas, you must acknowledge and list the sources which you use to avoid plagiarism. Internet / Information Skills Tutorials / Plagiarism I have not checked these sites (2013) from - www.johnlyon.org/docs/123-EPQResearch.pdf SAFARI http://library.open.ac.uk/services/libcourses/index.cfm?id=6442 - the Open University’s information skills tutorial Intute Virtual Training Suite http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/ - a series of subject based information skills tutorials designed to help you find key resources in your subject areas and see here for a tutorial on finding images on the Internet http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/tutorial/imagesearching/?sid=3118519&itemid=8 Internet Detective http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/detective/ - helps to develop the critical thinking required when using the Internet for research and offers practical advice on evaluating the quality of information provided on websites. SEE FIRST SLIDES HERE Plagiarism – what is it and how do I avoid it? http://www.plagiarism.org/ - useful guide to avoiding plagiarism and incorporating quotes in to your work. Extended Project Qualification How do I …… ?

13. From- www.johnlyon.org/docs/123-EPQResearch.pdf Selected Web Resources - Intute http://www.intute.ac.uk/ - a searchable collection of good quality evaluated web resources on all subjects. Choose the Best Search For Your Information Need http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html - guide to finding the best search engines or databases to find relevant information or specific information types. American bias, but useful nonetheless. Essay/Report writing - Useful essay words and phrases - http://www.leeds.ac.uk/arts/studyskills/new/writtenassignments/usefulessay.html - very handy list of words and phrases to help you write Surveys and Interviews - Survey Monkey - http://help.surveymonkey.com/app/tutorials/categorylist - includes a tutorial on designing/creating a survey. Guidelines on Conducting Interviews - http://managementhelp.org/evaluatn/intrview.htm - some starting points for conducting interviews as part of your research.