Top Ten Research Online Tools for K-12 Students (including two scholarly Reviews)

Background

As an ELA teacher, and an aspiring teacher-librarian, I have always been intrigued about the challenges teaching research. I have worked at three different schools, in three different school districts, and have found each district, each school, and in many cases, individual teachers, prefer different online applications. So, I decided to do some investigation about which online research tools are the best for guiding students through the research process. In particular, I am going to compare the following criteria:

·  Cost - Is the application free? Does the application charge a subscription fee?

·  Accessibility - Can anyone access it? Can it be accessed online only through a subscriber’s website?  Can it be accessed on multiple devices? Laptops? Tablets? Smartphones?.

·  Currency - Does it have a MLA citation maker? How current are the MLA citations? MLA 8? MLA 7? Does it evolve or adapt to user preferences? Technology changes?

· Audience - Is this a resource that can be used by all ages? Elementary students? Secondary students? College or graduate students?

·  Instruction – Does the application have tools to teach research skills? Note taking tools? MLA citation tools? Source evaluation tools? Writing brainstorming and/or outlining tools?

Also, delving down this rabbit hole means there are going to be a myriad of different resources. I've divide the online tools into different categories:

·  Research Tools – Electronic online applications that are tailored for assisting with research – citation makers, note-taking tools, annotation applications, electronic note cards, brainstorming and outline generators, etc.

· Word Processors: Common used word processing programs, and the tools embedded in them, to be used for research purposes. 

· Reference Guides – Websites that offer a reference for all things MLA, APA, and Chicago.  

· Scholarly Reviews – Online academic and critical reviews that provide recommendations, or links to online research tools, or research tips for teachers and librarians.

Research Tools

Diigo. Diigo, Diigo.com, http://www.diigo.com./Accessed 4 June 2017

Diigo is a note taking tool that can used on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Diigo is an acronym for “Digest of Internet Information, Groups and Other stuff.” If you are using a smartphone or tablet, you need to download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. For desktops or laptops, it can be downloaded as an extension of any internet browser. Upper elementary students, middle school students, high school students, or anyone who wants to annotate and share information, has the ability to highlight words or phrases, bookmark pages, create a PDF file of the page, or make a screen shot. Another nice feature is you can share your information with others. Teachers can bookmark and annotate pages for their students. Librarians can create a collection of websites for students researching a specific subject matter. Students can take notes and bookmark websites in one swoop. If you are working on a group research project, you can share your notes, bookmarks, and screenshots for presentation with your group members.

Diigo, however, has its drawbacks. Despite a professional-looking Youtube video from a cheerful middle schooler praising Diigo for her helping conduct research for a science group project, free accounts are limited. Free users are allotting a cache and bookmark limit. To share annotations and links as a “team,” users must sign-up for membership charging $10 a month. It is clear Diigo’s audience is beyond education. They offer organization and business rates. The other drawback is this app is used for one thing, and thing only in the research process – note taking and sharing information. There is no citation creator, nor are there lessons or suggestions how Diigo can be used to support research in the classroom. 

Overall, I would rate this site as one notepad out of four. 🗒

“EasyBib.” EasyBib, Chegg, 2017, http://www.easybib.com/Accessed 23 Apr. 2017.

EasyBib.com is citation maker for every type of citation – MLA 7, MLA 8, APA, Chicago, and hundreds of other academic discourses from everything from Artificial Intelligence in Medicine to Zoology. The app offers fifty-nine types of citation from common ones like websites and books to obscure citations like microform documents. It is owned and run by Chegg.com, and education company that offers study guides, online tutoring, test prep, and a database for high school students to research scholarships. Another nice feature is auto searches sources so, in theory, users don’t have to spend the time manually entering the citation information (though that option is available.)

However, while the citation auto search seems like a helpful idea, the searches are unfiltered through Bing.com, and many times are inaccurate. I would still recommend users manually enter the citation to ensure accuracy. The website allows both free use or a paid subscription. Free users can make unlimited citations and can make citations for fifty-six type of citations. Paid members have ads removed from their view, have access to 7,000 types of citation formats, and can generate footnotes and parenthetical citations. The app can be downloaded both on the Apple App Store and Google Play for mobile devices. It is designed for middle school, high school, and college students. For instructional purposes, it allows annotations, offers tips on how to evaluate sources, find research topics, and structure a research essay. While these tips are useful, it does not offer lesson plans or videos for immediate use in the classroom. 

Overall, I would rate this site as three notepads out of four. 🗒🗒🗒

NoodleTools. NoodleTools, NoodleTools.com, http://www.noodletools.com/. Accessed 3 June    2017.

While Diigo and EasyBib offer specific tools for research, NoodleTools is a one-stop, shop for all things research. Users can create “projects” which include an alphabetized list of sources in MLA format, an automated function for live links, and the ability for users to annotate sources (and highlight passages.) In addition, users can create note cards for each source organizing their annotations with bullet points. Then, the note cards can be dragged into an outline if the project becomes a research paper or presentation. Finally, all this information can be exported to MS Word, Google Docs, or a PDF file to be conveniently created into an annotated bibliography, or a works cited or works consulted page in a research project (which I actually did for this project J.) My favorite feature as an educator is the “public access” and “sharing” features. Users can make their research open-sourced to the public or in a limited capacity to be viewed by a limited group for either a group project or a classroom presentation. The sharing feature means you can share your work with others for group presentations. In addition, students can share their work with their teachers in a drop box. Teachers can monitor the progress of their students, or students can comment on their peers’ work for group projects or peer feedback. NoodleTools also can be accessed on smartphones by downloading the app on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

If there are any drawbacks to NoodleTools is that is not the most intuitive application. It takes some training how to create a project, share your work with others, and access the vast amount of research tools available. That being said, I taught at one school that heavily used NoodleTools and it has become an integral part of the learning community. NoodleTools do offer "free tools," which essentially, is an MLA source generator like EasyBib. Individuals, schools, or school districts can request a quote which is dependent on size, income, and tax revenue. Another problem to consider is when a copy of the bibliography is exported it is defaulted to the Verdana font at 9.5 size. MLA requires Times New Roman 12 point font. A simple tweak can change this, but students should be aware of this technical glitch. One nice feature for subscribers is NoodleTools constantly requests feedback and makes annual changes to the application to better meet the needs of their users. 

Overall, I would rate this site as four notepads out of four. 🗒🗒🗒🗒

Oregon School Library Information System. Oregon Library Association, 

     oslis.org/. Accessed 3 June 2017. 

While it does not have as wide of a toolbox as NoodleTools, OSLIS may be the most comprehensive site for educators to teach instruction. OSLIS is an acronym for the “Oregon School Library Information System.” OSLIS is run by the Oregon Association of Libraries and paid for by federal tax dollars. While the site is primarily for Oregonians, it has many features that are accessible to everyone. The site asks users are either an elementary or secondary student, or an elementary or secondary student. This is unique. All the other research tools I investigated were focused on secondary and college students. OSLIS, however, tailors its citation generator and research tools to certain age groups. For example, elementary students have a simple four-step research process – “learn to research,” “find information,” and “cite my sources” – with a fun, short animated videos that guide students through each step. On the other hand, secondary students have a more advanced six-step research process – “define, plan, find, create, present, and reflect” – that is much more nuanced and has more detailed videos. Each step can be individually accessed for review or individualized study. The educator links offer the same information, but are suited for instruction. Each step offers instructional goals, lesson plans, and worksheets to supplement the research process.

If there are any disadvantages to OSLIS, it would be the amount of online research tools are limited. The access to the databases is for use of Oregon residents only. However, if your local public library system and/or school library have a subscription to Gale, you should be able to access the same databases. In addition, the only other research tool available is a simplistic MLA citation generator. But, while the databases and research tools are limited, I would argue OSLIS is the ying to NoodleTools’ yang. While NoodleTools offers a vast toolbox of research tools, OSLIS offers the instruction of the research process and study guides for teachers. Not to mention, the site is free.

Overall, I would rate this site as three notepads out of four. 🗒🗒🗒

Word Processors

In the digital age virtually all research papers and presentations are created on one of two applications: Google Docs or Microsoft Office 365 (yes, Apples has their own word processing applications, but they are rarely used in schools.) In this section, I hope to address both applications and the pros and cons of each regarding creating research for publication.

Google Docs. Google Docs, Google.com, docs.google.com/document/u/0/?tgif=d. Accessed 4 June 2017.

Google Docs is the relative new kid on the block compared to Microsoft’s Office Suite. However, in the past decade with the mass production of cheap Google Chromebook laptops, Google applications have become more prolific in school settings. Google Docs are nice because they are a user friendly interface with a simple ribbon at the top of the site, and can be shared and accessed by anyone. Users can share their documents for group projects, and even open-source them for anyone to edit. I work in the heart of Microsoft territory, and many of my students use Google Docs just for the convenience of the sharing features.

However, the research tools available to users is limited. Users can annotate documents with a highlighter and share their annotations with others. But, regarding MLA citations the responsibility falls solely on the user. Users can open a “MLA template” that demonstrates the steps in setting up MLA format margins, heading, headers, and hanging format for a works cited page or an annotated bibliography. Yet, how to cite sources is up to the user to find a citation generator, like EasyBib, to assist them. While the accessibility and the sharing functions are great, the research tools are limited. Overall, I would rate this site as two notepads out of four. 🗒🗒

Microsoft Office 365. Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Corporation, http://www.office.com/. Accessed 3 June 2017.

While Google Docs may be the new kid on the block, but Microsoft’s Office 365 is certainly the gold standard among word processing applications. Formerly known as the Microsoft Office Suite, it has now evolved to Office 365, an online application accessible anywhere. Being the premier word processing application for most schools and offices gives Microsoft the advantage that millions of users are accessing their software every day. Because of this thee software has evolved. For research purposes, users can annotate documents using the “Track Changes” notepad to post comments, and a highlighter to annotate files. There is also a tab on the ribbon at the top of the page titled “reference.” The reference tab allows users to insert footnotes, endnotes, hyperlinks, tables, picture captions, and citations. You can select between a works cited, works consulted, or bibliography template. And now, users can create citations following many parenthetical formats – MLA, APA, Chicago, etc. When you select a “citation,” the application asks you sort of source your citing – book, website, database, etc. – publication information, year published, etc. Once a user has typed in this information, it will be automatically entered into the presentation document.

It is great that Microsoft Office 365 offers an array of research tools. However, sharing accessibility is more cumbersome than Google Docs. Users must have either have the Microsoft Office Suite installed on their device or an Office 365 subscription to access the information. Furthermore, to share your presentation with other users, even if they have access to the Microsoft software, is clunkier and not as seamless than Google Docs. The citation maker is a nice new addition, but is not as comprehensive as NoodleTools. It also assumes the reader knows a lot of the citation information, or at a minimum, understands the basics of MLA citation format. NoodleTools, on the other hand, asks the users lots of questions to ensure the citation meets MLA standards. That being said, being the most prolific presentation software, and Microsoft willingness to evolve the program over the years, it is still the premier word process application for publication. 

Overall, I would rate this software as three notepads out of four. 🗒🗒🗒

 Reference Websites

MLA Style Center. Modern Language Association, 2016, style.mla.org/. Accessed 3 
     June 2017. 

Sometimes to get information, it is best to get it straight from the horse’s mouth, which is why like to visit MLA Style Center. MLA is an abbreviation for the Modern Language Association, an organization composed of writers and literary scholars who determine the proper way to format citations and research essays. The MLA Style Center is a website created for secondary educators and college professors to learn about updates from the MLA, download lesson plans, and interact in an online community. The teacher site is divided into two sections, style and research. The style section addresses issues like how to properly cite a source, MLA format, and even MLA in Spanish. The research section discusses the history of MLA, lesson plans to teach research, and sample syllabi on how to teach an “intermediate” course (high school or college remedial course) or an “advanced” course (a college composition course.) There is also lesson plans on a unit called the “Scholarly Conversation Project.” This teaches students how databases are organized and, how to use them as a gateway to sources during a research projects. Finally, teachers can join an online bulletin board where they can share ideas and lesson plans.

Though the MLA Style Center offers lots of instruction tips and a forum for teachers, it is short on – how should I put this – on MLA format. Educators must either have a copy of the MLA 8 guide (which they can receive a free copy) – or subscribe to the MLA with an annual membership. Members can join as individuals or institutions (either specific schools or school districts.) But joining seems like membership in an exclusive club with individual membership running $200+ and institutional memberships running $1000+. They do have a discounted rate for educators, but still there is a feeling of elitism. Regarding the limited discussion on MLA format, perhaps the calculus is there are many MLA citation generators and MLA want to offer more than just citations. There are some good resources for instruction, but more tailored to older high school students, or college, or graduate students. OSLIS, on the other hand, is more tailored to K-12 students. If teaching a large, semester long research project, MLA Style Center is a good resource for teachers. However, if you are teaching students the basics of the research process, I suggest go to OSLIS instead. 

Two notepads out of four. 🗒🗒

Purdue OWL. Purdue University, 2017, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. June 2017. 

If NoodleTools is the place for one-stop research tools, Purdue OWL is the place for one-stop research tips. Purdue OWL is short for Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab. It is also the foremost expert, next to the MLA, to MLA formatting. There are tips about research writing, subject-specific writing, job writing, every sort of MLA citation under the sun, and even most recently, a YouTube channel with a vidcasts. Honestly, if a student asks a MLA citation question that she can’t find on EasyBib or NoodleTools, I direct them to Purdue OWL.

The best site that OWL is analogous to is OSLIS. While OSLIS is a great resource for teachers and students, Purdue OWL is a good resource for students. Students can easily access how to cite information from sources such as books, websites, databases, interviews, blogs, wikis, and obscure documents like ancient maritime maps. One may ask, can’t they just create this info on EasyBib? Yes, but OWL forces the students to think about what type of source they are using and what they are using the source for. If there is a disadvantage to OWL, it is heavily text based with little graphics. There are many resources available, but a user needs to really dig into the site to access them. Yet, like OSLIS, the site is free and offers a lot to both teachers and students as a reference guide. 

Three notepads out of four. 🗒🗒🗒

Scholarly Reviews 

4 - Information Literacy and Social Networks. Elsevier Ltd, 2013. https://moe.highline.edu:2600/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzY3MTAzOV9fQU41?sid=d94e8b4d-5bf4-4cac-9136-773187707744@sessionmgr104&vid=0&format=EB&rid=1

In this chapter in of the Patron Driven Librarian by Dee Ann Allison, professor of research and computer services at the University of Nebraska – Omaha, she discusses the changing role of librarian in the 21^st century. Allison argues that with the proliferation of information on the internet and the popularity of social media, patrons are the ones who driving the need for libraries to collect information, as opposed to books selected by an elite group of academics. In many ways this makes libraries more democratic to the patrons libraries serve. The implication for schools is how to do school libraries, and public libraries for that matter, select databases, books, periodicals, journals, and ebooks that are both credible and will be actively used. Librarians need to be able to facilitate information gathering, rather than disseminate it. With the rise of “fake news,” a new challenge for librarians is to guide students how to critically evaluate credible sources versus unreliable or false ones. Despite Allison’s argument that the patron is driving the libraries, librarians must remember the best tool for evaluating sources is the hardware between a person’s ears.

Borgman, Christine L. Scholarship in the Digital Age: Information, Infrastructure, and the Internet. The MIT Press, 2007. EBSCOhost, Accessed 30 Apr. 2017

moe.highline.edu:2048/login?url=https://moe.highline.edu:2596/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=208748&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Borgman’s focus is how the use of the internet is shaping the way students, teachers, and researchers identify, research, and evaluate information. They argue digital culture is at a “crossroads,” between the haves who have access to the internet 24/7, vs the have nots who may have limited or little to no access to the internet. The implication for schools, and specifically, regarding teachers and librarians instructing research creates a vast digital divide. If students are expected to investigate using databases, e-books, online journals, blogs, wikis, and social media in conducting research, the students who have continual access, can conduct research anytime anywhere. On the other hand, students who may only have access at school are at a sharp disadvantage. Borgman argues teachers and librarians need to find a balance between tailoring instruction to 21^st online learning and using old technology like books, maps, and printed text for non-digital natives to have access to information.