Support for student researchers

If your classes are embarking on research papers this fall, Homestead subscribes to two web-based tools to support the research process (identifying and using sources, organization and synthesizing information, and correctly citing sources).

One, which many teachers have already used. is Noodle Tools. NoodleTools uses virtual notecards on a virtual desktop to help organize research. Each individual notecard has a Main Idea (the title of the card) and sections to quote, paraphrase and make original connections to the source. Each card can be linked to a source in the bibliography, to keep student research organized and allow quotes and ideas to be appropriately cited in the final paper. Notecards can also be tagged and categorized, stacked and sorted on the virtual desktop, and searched and printed. Projects can be shared with teachers, who can view student progress and give feedback.

NoodleTools also has a citation creator, which walks students through the information needed to correct cite a source, and then creates the properly-formatted citation. To use the full subscription version, Homestead staff should log in using their FUHSD accounts via this link.

New this year to Homestead is EasyBib. EasyBib has a free citation generator, which is well known to many students. Its subscription service offers much of the same functionality as NoodleTools, with a slightly different interface and usability. Students and staff should log in using their Google accounts here.

Both are integrated with Google Apps for Education, which means you can create, access and share Google Docs from within the app, and use your FUHSD login to access.