Discuss the ways to record information collected for research.

Question

What will be an ideal response?What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

As one finds information to use in his or her speech, one needs to record it accurately and keep a careful account of the sources so that they can be cited appropriately during the speech. One way to keep track of information is to compile an annotated bibliography of the sources that are relevant and create a research card for each individual item of information one plans to cite in the speech.
An annotated bibliography is a preliminary record of the relevant sources a person finds as he or she conducts research. Each entry in an annotated bibliography includes a short summary of information in that source. One can compile an annotated bibliography on computer as he or she works. When one identifies the exact information one wants to use in the speech, the bibliography can be edited to create a speech reference list. A good annotated bibliography for speech planning includes:
• A complete bibliographic citation for each source based on the type of source (such as book, article, or Web site) and the style guide (such as APA or MLA)
• Two or three sentences summarizing the information in the source
• Two or three sentences explaining how the source is related to the speech topic
• Any direct quotations one might want to include verbatim in one’s speech
Research cards are individual three-by-five-inch or four-by-six-inch index cards or electronic facsimiles that record one piece of information relevant to one’s speech along with a key word or main idea and the bibliographic information identifying where one found it. Recording each piece of information using a key word or main idea identifier on a unique research card allows one to easily find, arrange, and rearrange individual pieces of information as one prepares the speech. As the stack of research cards grows, the material can be sorted and each item can be placed under the heading to which it is related.