Research Toolkit Overview
The Research Toolkit is a series of workshops designed to address the most common challenges students face in doing college-level research, including navigating databases, locating relevant sources, and making sense of information once it is found. Each workshop focuses on a specific skill.
The workshops are also available as files for importing into Pilot modules, giving you access to the videos and quizzes.
Information Cycle
Sometimes it seems like everything is online. In many cases, that can complicate the process of finding the information you need because it takes more work to identify what type of information you’re encountering. This workshop will offer strategies for identifying the different types of available information and selecting the appropriate type for your information need.
Stop Searching and Start Finding
Sorting through different information sources can be stressful. You’ve heard that using the library databases give you better results, but they can be confusing and overwhelming. In this workshop, we demystify databases and offer suggestions that will help you to find better results faster and easier.
Simple Steps to Reading Scholarly Articles
Are you dreading reading through those 8-20 page articles you found for your paper? Do they seem like they are written in a different language? Never fear! In this workshop, you will learn strategies for making sense of those long, and let’s face it, sometimes boring, articles.
Funds for the creation of these videos were provided by the Students First Fund, a grant program created by the Wright State University Foundation.
Evaluating Information: Media Sources
How do you know if the article you found is good enough to use for your assignment? Learn strategies for evaluating sources whether you find them on the Internet, in the library, or in the library’s databases.
Integrating Your Sources
You’ve searched for articles and books and you have a list of sources that are on your topic. Now how are you supposed to use them in your paper? In this workshop, staff from the Writing Center and a librarian will take you through the process of integrating those sources in your paper. Learn how to quote and paraphrase while avoiding plagiarism and keeping your voice the focus of your paper.
Citing Your Sources
We all know that plagiarism is bad, but is avoiding plagiarism the only reason to cite? Why do we have to follow all the pesky rules about capitalization, punctuation, and numbering? And why are there so many different styles? In this workshop, we provide an overview of the reasons for citing, guidelines for when to cite and when it's not necessary, and how to find answers to your questions about formatting.
Funds for the creation of these videos were provided by the Students First Fund, a grant program created by the Wright State University Foundation.