BHS Panther Learning Center
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  • Research Databases
    • Search Strategies
  • Citing Sources
    • MLA 8th Edition
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      • Senior Expert Project
      • Readers' Advisory
      • Class Projects: English 1 CP
    • History
    • Psychology >
      • Research Project
    • Health
  • E-Books
  • Library Lab Calendar
  • Online Resources
  • Homework Center
  • Check Your Facts!
  • Primary Sources of Interest
  • Google Tips and Tricks!
  • Home
  • Welcome! Hours and Policies
  • Online Catalog
  • Research Databases
    • Search Strategies
  • Citing Sources
    • MLA 8th Edition
  • Class Resources
    • English >
      • Senior Expert Project
      • Readers' Advisory
      • Class Projects: English 1 CP
    • History
    • Psychology >
      • Research Project
    • Health
  • E-Books
  • Library Lab Calendar
  • Online Resources
  • Homework Center
  • Check Your Facts!
  • Primary Sources of Interest
  • Google Tips and Tricks!
BHS Panther Learning Center

PSYCH  Research  Project


Search Strategies ​

Focus Your Topic: not too broad - not too specific.
Develop a clear research question.


For example, a research question might be:
What correlation is there between social media use and academic performance?
                           OR 
How do memory exercises, such as "mind palaces," affect Alzheimer's patients?

Divide your research topic/question into basic key concepts.
Example:
  • memory
  • Alzheimer's
  • mind palace/memory exercises
​​
These ideas can be used as keywords when searching for sources. 
​

​Use Boolean searching techniques to narrow or broaden your search:


OR - Tells the database that you want all articles that have similar words (synonyms)
AND - Tells the database that you want articles that include all of your key words.
NOT - excludes words from your search.
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Google Tips
  • Use quote marks (“ ”) around search phrases, e.g., “fast food”
  • Use OR between words for the same concept, e.g., children OR teens OR "young people" OR adolescents
  • Limit searches to sites from a specific web domain (e.g., .edu, .gov )
  • Limit searches to a specific website, e.g., site:nytimes.com will limit a search to the NY Times website
  • Limit by time period by clicking on 'Search Tools' at the top of the results page and the 'Any Time' pull-down menu
​
Google Scholar 
Google Scholar searches specifically for scholarly literature - peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, etc. Some of the search results are available in full-text but many display only an abstract with links to pay-for-document services.

Locating Sources
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Research Databases
​

For EBSCO use your public library card number to login. If you don't have it, please email: botero@smuhsd.org or call: 650-558-2859
​
  • Points of View Reference Center - Resources that present multiple sides of an issue. Provides content to help assess/develop persuasive arguments and better understand controversial issues.
 
  • Explora General Search - Both teen and adult content on Academics, History & Biography, Legal & Government, Magazines & Newspapers, Science & Technology, Statistics & Demographics.
    ​
  • Science Reference Center - Full text for hundreds of science magazines, journals, encyclopedias, reference books and more.

For Gale use the password: panther
  • Gale Opposing Viewpoints - Supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts; presents all sides of important issues.
 
  • Gale Global Issues - Supports global awareness. Authoritative content empowers learners to critically analyze & understand important issues of the modern world. 
 
  • Burlingame Public Library Databases - Full list of research databases provided by the public libraries. 

Navigating Through Databases
The image below highlights some areas to focus on to best navigate through databases. 
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Evaluating Sources
Use the following infographic to confirm that you are using the best possible sources in your research:
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Presentation Tools
  • Prezi - Presentation software that provides smart structure and Zoom Reveal function that allows users to guide the eye toward a presentation’s most important information. Free version allows for unlimited presentations, easy to use, alternative to standard slideshow presentation format. 

  • Adobe Spark - Provides non-designers with tools for creating professional-looking web content, can create various graphics, videos, web-based presentations. Includes articles on designing and presentation inspiration. 
 
  • Powtoon - An animation and presentation program that can be used to create more interactive and engaging content. It offers a variety of animation styles including cartoons, infographics, and whiteboards. Free premium trial, then basic includes branding/ads.
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  • Visme - An intuitive online tool that allows non-designers & professionals to create interactive presentations & infographics in their browser. Free plan gets users up to 100 MB of storage, can publish online, easy to use, but not currently designed for mobile devices/limited projects with free plan.
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Presentation Tips

How to Give a Killer Presentation

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Citing Sources​
  • Videos (APA): Last Name, F.M. [Username]. (Year, Month Date). Title of video [Video File]. Retrieved from URL
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OWL Purdue is a reliable source for confirming all citiation guidelines in both MLA and APA formats. Select the image for a link to the site. 
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