Year 8: Term 3: Energy Conversion - Bouncing Balls

In your scientific investigation report you are to investigate the subject of Energy. Some points to research:

• What are the relevant major scientific concepts? eg Gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, elastic potential energy, efficiency, energy transfer, energy transformation

• What is conservation of energy?

• What other factors may affect the efficiency of a ball bouncing?

Choose the sources you wish to evaluate. Save this document to your tablet, complete the evaluation of the sources (one per page) and print out to attach to the back of your assignment.

Check the quality of your websites using these criteria (adapted from QUT Library):

Currency: Timeliness of the information

• When was the information published, posted or last updated?

• Is the information current for your topic and field of study? How recent does it have to be? Can older sources work just as well?

Relevance: Importance of the information for your needs

• Is the information appropriate for a senior secondary course?

• Is this an adequately in-depth examination or a quick summary of the topic?

• Who's the intended audience? Is it the general public, a student, a researcher or industry?

• Is the level of information too basic or too advanced for your needs?

Authority: Source of the information

• Is the author/authoring body (individual person, or institution, or organisation) established and reputable?

• Are their qualifications, credentials, expertise, experience, educational background and previous work (if any) relevant and do they add credibility to the source?

• Has the piece been published by a well-known and respected publisher or organisation?

• Do references to other sources support the writing ie is a Reference List provided?

Accuracy: Reliability and correctness of the information

• Where does the information come from, and is it supported by evidence?

• Does it have a Reference List or Bibliography so you can easily find and verify the sources used?

• Are there any spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose: Reason the information exists

• What is the purpose of the information? Why was it written?

• Does the point of view appear objective, unbiased and impartial?

• Is the viewpoint of the author's affiliation/ sponsors reflected in the message or content?

• Does the author acknowledge alternative versions of the issues or facts?

Purpose: Reason the information exists

• What is the purpose of the information? Why was it written?

• Does the point of view appear objective, unbiased and impartial?

MyBib is an online referencing generator to help you with in text references and your List of References.

NOTE: 

• Sign up for an account so that it will store the references for your assignment. Add it to your bookmark bar to find it quickly.

• Install the Chrome extension to make your referencing even faster.

• Make sure everything in your Reference List has a corresponding In-Text citation in the body of your essay.