The document discusses basic research techniques, including identifying sources of information, finding information, determining relevance, and properly citing sources. It provides examples of citing sources using different styles like APA, MLA, and Vancouver in both footnotes/endnotes and bibliographies. Maintaining organized records of cited sources is emphasized as it contributes to one's final mark.
2. To be able to use basic research
techniques.
o What sources of information will you use?
o How will you find the information?
o How will you decide what is relevant?
o How will you cite the information you select?
5. To be able to use basic research
techniques.
You must reference all of your sources of information. The formal
way to do this is to include a bibliography.
For a book:
Author (last name first). Title of the book. City: Publisher, Date of
publication.
For a magazine:
Author (last name first), "Article Title." Name of magazine. Volume
number, (Date): page numbers.
World Wide Web:
URL (Uniform Resource Locator or WWW address). Author (or item's
name, if mentioned), date.
6. To be able to use basic research
techniques.
When you make a reference in your text to information
you have found, you need to cite where that information
came from. This citation will link to the bibliography at
the end of your work.
There are a variety of styles and ways top do this. We
will cover a few and it is up to you to decide which you
will use in your work.
For the purposes of an example, we will use the following
information taken from…
Irish, Dan. The Game Producer’s Handbook. Boston:
Course Technology, 2005
“The advantage of designing games for console gaming
systems is that the specifications are published, known and
unchanging for the life of the console.”
7. To be able to use basic research
techniques.
The Harvard System (APA)
“The advantage of designing games for console gaming systems
is that the specifications are published, known and unchanging
for the life of the console.” (Irish, 2005 p.137)
The Harvard System (MLA)
“The advantage of designing games for console gaming systems
is that the specifications are published, known and unchanging
for the life of the console.” (Irish 137) or (Irish, Handbook 137)
In both cases, the citations must be supported by a full
bibliographical reference at the end of the text.
8. To be able to use basic research
techniques.
The Vancouver System
“The advantage of designing games for console gaming systems
is that the specifications are published, known and unchanging
for the life of the console.”1
The numbers are sequenced and either featured as a
footnote (at the end of the page) or an endnote (at the end of
the text).
1 Irish, The Game Producer’s Handbook 137
These foot/end notes must be supported by a full reference
in the bibliography.
Irish, Dan. The Game Producer’s Handbook. Boston:
Course Technology, 2005
9. To be able to use basic research
Remember…
techniques.
Every piece of information you find
should be documented and evidenced
as it will contribute to your final mark.
So keep it neat and keep it organised.
