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Tell your teachers:
State Library is one-stop shop for research When it comes to research projects for
middle and high school students, the South Dakota State Library
offers one-stop shopping. Two new resources are designed to
assist students with their research projects by helping them to
identify a focus, find pertinent resources, and develop a
timeline for completing the project. Please encourage your
teachers and librarians to check out these new online tools!
Finding a research focus
The online database SIRS Researcher has a new and improved
feature called “Curriculum Pathfinders.” SIRS Researcher is
available to all K-12 schools and public and academic libraries
in South Dakota. The resource is appropriate for students in
grades 6-12.
SIRS new “Curriculum Pathfinders” is a great place to start when
researching topics in math, science, social studies, language
arts, fine arts, and health. The online database links students
to articles and Web sites that align to national standards.
Articles within the database also cover subjects related to the
building of 21st century skills.
The site provides pertinent research ideas (topics include
global warming, forensics, immigration, obesity and suicide
prevention) and links to resources related to those topics.
To access, go to the State Library’s homepage at
www.sdstatelibrary.com and click on “For Library and School
Users.” Scroll down and click on “SIRS Researcher” and then
“Pathfinders.”
For more information about SIRS Curriculum Pathfinders, contact
Julie Erickson, South Dakota State Library, at (605) 295-1994.
julie.erickson@state.sd.us
Managing the research process
An online “calculator” – also available via the State Library’s
Web site – helps students break down the research process into
manageable steps.
The Research Project Calculator breaks the process into five
logical steps: Question, Gather, Conclude, Communicate, and
Evaluate. Students choose the format of their research product
(essay, PowerPoint, video) and enter the due date for their
assignment. The calculator estimates the dates by which each
part of the process should be completed.
Students get more than a timeline. Each of the five steps
includes further information about what the student needs to
accomplish in each step of the process.
The Research Project Calculator is aimed at high school
students. No subscription is required. The calculator was
developed by and is funded jointly by MINITEX and MnLINK
(Minnesota) and is open-source software.
Click here to access the Research Project Calculator.
For more information, contact Jasmine Rockwell, South Dakota
State Library, at (605) 773-5066.
jasmine.rockwell@state.sd.us
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