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8th Grade Checks & Balances CBA: Research Tools

Resources to support the 8th grade Social Studies CBA

What is a citation?

A citation is what you include in your research project that shows where you got the information and ideas.  It gives your reader confidence that you consulted quality sources.

Citations have a consistent, specific format and usually contain the following elements:

  • Author
  • Title
  • Publisher
  • Date of publication

Research Tools for Students

Generating Search Terms

"Generating Search Terms" YouTube, uploaded by OSLIS Secondary Videos, July 13, 2016, https://youtu.be/MFnlnsN5AHE.

Cite Your Sources

Why is it important to cite your sources?

"Why you need to cite sources" YouTube, uploaded by OSLIS Secondary Videos, June 4, 2017, https://youtu.be/WZEwCbHigxA.

Formatting Your Essay

"MLA Essay Format (8th Edition)." YouTube, uploaded by The Nature of Writing, 7 Feb. 2017.  

MLA Style Guide

Database vs. Website

"What is a library database?" YouTube, uploaded by OSLIS Secondary Videos, July 13, 2016, https://youtu.be/X38FNhAB5n8.

In-Text Citations

Avoiding Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of copying someone else's words and passing them off as if they were your own.  

Plagiarism is a very serious offense and severe consequences often accompany it.  

The best way to avoid plagiarism is to properly cite your sources in the body of your paper, or project, and in your bibliography.

"Avoiding Plagiarism." YouTube, uploaded by GCFLearn, 13 September 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzZsButRaHs&t=2s.