Based on the Middle School Research Planner by Andrew McCarthy, Digital Literacy Coach
UWCSEA Dover http://www.uwcsea.edu.sg
See UWCSEA Research Skills for more tips on Researching an essay.
With the help of your teacher and the class, see if you can define and clarify what concepts you will be researching.
Unit focus
Electricity
Concept Focus
Main Research Question
These are the keys to unlocking information on the Internet. Instead of searching for long phrases, try using commonly used words. Look at some of the hints available on the UWCSEA website for search strings. Once you have found a good source, use the Find Tool (Command + F) to find words within the page.
Generate guiding questions that will help you answer your larger research question. Guiding questions may be open or closed questions, and a variety of both would be useful. Generate as many questions as you can to support your plan.
Guiding Questions

Guiding Question 1: What kind of batteries are used in Thailand?
Source 1: Interviewing 7-11 manager
Source 2: Interviewing 10 year ex-pat who knows types of batteries
Summary of best answer in my own words (bullet points)
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Lithium ion batteries (Rechargeable) (Recommended by me)
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Alkaline batteries (Not rechargeable)
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Dry cell batteries (Not rechargeable)
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Lithium batteries (Not rechargeable)
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Nickel Cadmium Battery (Rechargeable)
Guiding Question 2: What’s the problem with batteries in Thailand?
Source 1: http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Non_Renewable_Energy
Source 2: http://www.lessismore.org/materials/128-non-rechargeable-batteries
Summary of best answer in my own words (bullet points)
• They are using more non rechargeable, than rechargeable batteries.
• This is problematic because it creates lots of land fill, and (Check question 4 for more)
• This will cause more problems later on when the whole earth is polluted and its inner contents
• They use natural resources like metals so when the earth runs out of them they will be extinct/non usable
• Also for the metals they require mining which makes pollution even before the actual battery is made.
• So the whole process of a non-rechargeable battery is bad: first it pollutes the world with mining for the metals required, second it pollutes the world by being made in factories and third they pollute the world once the die/power out.
Guiding Question 3: How is science/technology used to solve this battery problem?
Source 1: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-lithium-ion-batteries-work.html
Source 2: http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/is_lithium_ion_the_ideal_battery
Summary of best answer in my own words (bullet points)
• Rechargeable batteries are the scientific and technological way to solve the environmental problem of batteries.
• Using a lithium ion battery, which is rechargeable and lasts longer than the average nonrenewable battery
• Lithium ion batteries work by: the ions move to one location of the battery when charging is needed, when it is no longer required it goes to the other side.
• It is very good and lasts a lot longer than a non-rechargeable battery
Guiding Question 4: What are the implications of using science to solve the problem?
Include Advantages and Disadvantages
Source 1: http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/power-management/battery-technology/lithium-ion-batteryadvantages-disadvantages.php
Source 2: http://legal.cecon.com/2012/05/lithium-ion-battery-advantages-and.html
Summary of best answer in my own words (bullet points)
• Advantages:
• They take longer to break/die, so there will be less land fill
• They do not pollute the earth once the break like non rechargeable batteries

• They also do not release toxins in to the earth like non rechargeable batteries
• They do not require lots of labor, which in factories makes smoke and pollute the world like non rechargeable batteries
• In comparison 1 lithium ion battery out lives around 3 nickel metal non rechargeable batteries
• Disadvantages:
• They age like all batteries still making some land fill, but less
• They also require making which makes air pollution from factories
• They also can only out live 3 nickel metal batteries, while other can out live 5 or even 10
Guiding Question 5: how do rechargeable batteries impact the environment?
Source 1: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/lithium-ion-battery.htm
Source 2: https://www.apple.com/batteries/why-lithium-ion/
Summary of best answer in my own words (bullet points)
• Rechargeable batteries are good, and bad for the environment. Here is how:
• Advantages:
• They take longer to break/die, so there will be less land fill
• They do not pollute the earth once the break like non rechargeable batteries
• They also do not release toxins in to the earth like non rechargeable batteries
• They do not require lots of labor, which in factories makes smoke and pollute the world like non rechargeable batteries
• In comparison 1 lithium ion battery out lives around 3 nickel metal non rechargeable batteries
• Disadvantages:
• They age like all batteries still making some land fill, but less
• They also require making which makes air pollution from factories
• They also can only out live 3 nickel metal batteries, while other can out live 5 or even 10
• As you can see there are more advantages of the rechargeable lithium ion battery, than disadvantages, so that is why I think they should be used.
Elements
What problem did the discovery of element x solve (create)?
Alt. - what are the uses of element x?
What are the (environmental) advantages of the discovery?
What are the (environmental) disadvantages of the discovery?

Is it worth it? Use evidence from the research grid.
After learning the advantages and disadvantages of ____________________ , I think … because (evidence, data, statistics)
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As a writer it is your ethical responsibility to give proper credit to sources.
It is also very important that you give credit in accordance with a style of citations.
You must use MLA style formatting, and should use EasyBib.com for help in the process.
If you fail to give proper credit to a source you have committed plagiarism.
1.
The bibliography page should always be the last page of your essay, report or presentation.
2.
Sources should be organized alphabetically by the first word or name in the entry. This first word or name is what you use in the paper when making a direct citation or quote from the author.
3.
You should include every source that is in your research above.
4.
Use Easybib.com to create your bibliography