Best Resources for
Research
SPI
Fourth /Fifth Grade:
Dictionary
A dictionary is used
to find what words
mean. It contains
some pictures but not
many. It is arranged
in alphabetical order.
Thesaurus
A Thesaurus is a book or
can be on-line website
that lets you find words
that mean about the same,
synonym, as the word
you are looking up. It
will also give the opposite
meaning as well,
antonym.
Encyclopedia
Encyclopedias usually come
in sets of books and are used
to look up topics, not just
words. You can find some
on-line.
For Example, you
might want to
learn about the
Tropical Rain
Forest or maybe
George
Washington. It
gives you a lot of
information on the
topic.
Atlas
An atlas is a book
of maps used to
show distances,
populations,
political
boundaries, and
other information
found on maps.
Web Site-Internet
Using the internet is a
way of researching
information for
different topics. You
have to be careful on
the internet because
sometimes the
information is not
true or reliable.
News Paper
A news paper is made of
paper and contains daily
information about a city,
such as Chattanooga; or
weekly information about a
town such as Pikeville. It
usually has facts about what
is going on in that area.
Non-Fiction
Books or articles
that contain
facts about
people, animals,
places or events.
Glossary
 Is usually found in the back of school books used to
define unknown words within the book. Words are
arranged in alphabetical order. Sometimes it will have a
picture to help you understand the meaning.
Almanac
An almanac is an annual,yearly, publication that includes
information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates,
astronomical information, and tide tables, often arranged
according to the calendar etc.
Magazine
 Magazines are publications, generally published on a
regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They
are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase
price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three.
Interview
 An interview is a conversation between two people
(the interviewer and the interviewee) where questions
are asked by the interviewer to obtain information
from the interviewee.
Card/Electronic catalogs
A library catalog (or library
catalogue) is a register of all
bibliographic items found in a
library or group of libraries, such
as a network of libraries at
several locations. A bibliographic
item can be found in any format
(e.g., books, computer files,
graphics, realia, cartographic
materials, etc.) that is considered
library material. Many are
outdated now because you can
use the electronic catalogs.
Let’s see what you have
learned….
Let’s see what you have
learned….
All of the these would be a good place to find information
about dogs except?
a. encyclopedia
b. magazine entitle “Dog Lover”
c. non-fiction book about dogs
d. dictionary
Let’s see what you have
learned….
All of the these would be a good place to find information
about dogs except?
a. encyclopedia
b. magazine entitle “Dog Lover”
c. non-fiction book about dogs
d. dictionary
Let’s see what you have
learned….
For a report on Abraham Lincoln, which source would be
the most reliable?
a. webpage by a 3rd grader entitled “Stuff I Learned
about Abe”
b. encyclopedia
c. a fictional book about Abraham Lincoln
d. an atlas
Let’s see what you have
learned….
For a report on Abraham Lincoln, which source would be
the most reliable?
a. webpage by a 3rd grader entitled “Stuff I Learned
about Abe”
b. encyclopedia
c. a fictional book about Abraham Lincoln
d. an atlas
Let’s see what you have
learned….
Which would be the best source for finding maps of
Tennessee?
a. atlas
b. newpaper
c. thesaurus
d. dictionary
Let’s see what you have
learned….
Which would be the best source for finding maps of
Tennessee?
a. atlas
b. newpaper
c. thesaurus
d. dictionary
Let’s see what you have
learned….
I want to know the meaning of the word “stationary”.
Where should I look?
a. newspaper
b. dictionary
c. non-fiction book
d. encyclopedia
Let’s see what you have
learned….
I want to know the meaning of the word “stationary”.
Where should I look?
a. newspaper
b. dictionary
c. non-fiction book
d. encyclopedia
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You are writing a story but have used the word beautiful too
many times. Which source would be used to find a
synonym for beautiful?
a. atlas
b. dictionary
c. encyclopedia
d. thesaurus
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You are writing a story but have used the word beautiful too
many times. Which source would be used to find a
synonym for beautiful?
a. atlas
b. dictionary
c. encyclopedia
d. thesaurus
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You heard that a building burnt in Chattanooga yesterday.
Which of these could you use to find out if that was
true?
a. newspaper
b. encyclopedia
c. thesaurus
d. dictionary
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You heard that a building burnt in Chattanooga yesterday.
Which of these could you use to find out if that was
true?
a. newspaper
b. encyclopedia
c. thesaurus
d. dictionary
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You want to learn more about rainforests. Which of these
would provide you with the most information?
a. non-fiction book entitled Rainforest Life
b. dictionary
c. thesaurus
d. fiction book entitled Rumble in the Rainforest
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You want to learn more about rainforests. Which of these
would provide you with the most information?
a. non-fiction book entitled Rainforest Life
b. dictionary
c. thesaurus
d. fiction book entitled Rumble in the Rainforest
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You want to determine the best time to plant corn this
spring. Which source would be the most useful?
a. interview
b. glossary
c. almanac
d. dictionary
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You want to determine the best time to plant corn this
spring. Which source would be the most useful?
a. interview
b. glossary
c. almanac
d. dictionary
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You want to learn what it was like to be at Pearl Harbor
when the Japanese bombed it. Which would be the best
source?
a. glossary
b. interview
c. dictionary
d. thesaurus
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You want to learn what it was like to be at Pearl Harbor
when the Japanese bombed it. Which would be the best
source?
a. glossary
b. interview
c. dictionary
d. thesaurus
Let’s see what you have
learned….
Which of these would not be a good resource for finding
information about the Civil War?
a. entertainment magazine
b. encyclopedia
c. website created by a college
d. non-fiction book about the Civil War battles
Let’s see what you have
learned….
Which of these would not be a good resource for finding
information about the Civil War?
a. entertainment magazine
b. encyclopedia
c. website created by a college
d. non-fiction book about the Civil War battles
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You are reading a science book and come across a word that
you do not know. Where would be the best place to find
the meaning of the word?
a. glossary
b. card catalog
c. almanac
d. thesaurus
Let’s see what you have
learned….
You are reading a science book and come across a word that
you do not know. Where would be the best place to find
the meaning of the word?
a. glossary
b. card catalog
c. almanac
d. thesaurus