Pre-Research-- What is THAT?  Where will I find information?  What kind of information can I use if web-sites are only to be used AFTER I find print resources?  What is a print resource?  What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source?  

If you are like any typical 7th grader getting ready to tackle a research project, these are just a FEW of the questions running through your head right now!  The purpose of this post is to answer those questions and others.  Read on and use the links and video clips to help you in this journey!

Finding Resources Using Libraries in the Area

The District Home Page is a place to start. You can access links to your school library as well as other local libraries.


Trafford Middle School has a wide variety of books, encyclopedias, magazines and other print resources available to you.  You can also use the link to navigate the card catalogs and databases of other libraries around you.  Some books can be reserved and picked up at your local library if they are not available at your school library and be borrowed through Pennsylvania's Inter-Library Loan Service.

Penn Area Library is a close, local choice for you to think about visiting.  You MUST have a library card that has the "ACCESS" sticker in order to borrow these books.  See your local librarian if you have questions.

You can also use online data bases to connect you to primary documents like interviews, memoirs, speeches, journal entries, etc. that will give you more insight into your subject's life and accomplishments.

Primary VS Secondary Documents

What is the difference between Primary & Secondary Resource Documents you might ask?  Click the link to answer that question.  You can also watch the videos below.

ONLINE Databases

Below are links to several databases to help you search

primary source database
Eduplace on the Web
National Archives

This link is very comprehensive and includes links to memoirs, diaries, maps, etc that you may find helpful in your research: Primary Sources for Schools Online

You can even watch videos on a topic from the National Archives!  There are transcripts available for videos so that you can take notes and then look over transcripts for things you may have missed.

National Archive Videos-- Bringing History to Life

Additionally, many documentaries are available ON DEMAND or through Net Flix (if you have this available to you), or you may just "get lucky" by browsing the History Channel from time to time.  There is NO end to the information you can find if you are willing to "dig in" and look!  Happy Hunting!

We will also use EasyBib both at school and at home to research, create note cards and bibliographies and to complete other steps within the research/writing process.  You will need to log in from school in order to have access at home.  Their data base will provide you with a variety of on-line resources that have been used in research projects of others.  It will also let you know if a source is credible or not.

Asking & Answering Questions in Research

Still deciding on n interesting person to research?  Look at Time's Top 100 of 2010 or the Top 100 influential people of ALL time..  for some possibilities! 

Once you have decided on a possible topic, one on which you can find enough "good" information, You will begin to answer the "thick" questions you have proposed to ask in your research.

Remember.  You are not going to simply give an accounting of his or her life.

You will be answering the BASIC questions-- What has _________________________ done/accomplished that is significant in his/her field?  How is the world of _______________________different because of him or her?  

Answering these questions will guide to make a SPECIFIC assertion about your subject and will further guide your research!  You will move beyond the typical "research paper" that lists a persons data and statistics to a project that shows something important that you have to share about your topic!  

Next blog will focus on another step in the research process-- taking notes & creating note cards. In the meantime, focus on asking "thick" questions and finding "credible" sources!

By the way... what IS a credible source?  Check out this blog for some information on Evaluating Websites