LibGuides: Grade 11: Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Issues and Perspectives (NDA3M): Political Inquiry and Skill Development

Suggested Databases

Canada in Context This link opens in a new window
Online experience of contextual information on a broad range of Canadian topics, people, places and events.
Canadian Encyclopedia This link opens in a new window
French/English. A comprehensive and authoritative general Canadian reference work. Also includes quizzes, games, multimedia, and links to other resources.
Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada This link opens in a new window
Reference maps of Indigenous Canada, information and historical photos on Truth and Reconciliation, First Nations, Metis & Inuit Peoples, as well a glossary of common Indigenous terms.
4Canoes Indigenous Voices eBooks This link opens in a new window
Teachers Resources & Children's Books including: English and French editions of Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition: The Importance of Indigenous Perspectives; Four volumes of 4Canoes including The Ojibwe from Great Spirit Island, The Haida of Haida Gwaii, The Mi'kmaq of Ktaqamkuk, and The Yavapai, The People of the Sun. Three children's books by Canoe Kids including the Eagle Feather Story (A Story from the Dakelh Peoples), The Drum Story by The Ojibwe Peoples of Manitoulin Island, and Wah buuny - vah (Yavapai Brush House)
The Residential Schools Book (Words and Images of Survivors) by Larry Loyie.

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Logins for all VLC databases are found on the back of the VLC Bookmark.

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Top Picks

Resource Evaluation: The CRAAP Test
Use this evaluation checklist to determine if a resource is worthwhile. Does your book, website, magazine article pass the CRAAP Test?
Identifying your research needs K-N-R chart
Credit to Waterloo Region District School Board
Gr. 7-12 Research Template
This template guides students through the research process starting with conducting background reading.

Databases 101

A database is an organized electronic collection of information which frequently includes a range of publication types and information formats (e.g. video, print, & audio). Academic databases, such as those found via the VLC, contain authoritative, reliable information published by university scholars, trade experts, and other leaders in their respective fields.

Some databases only contain information pertaining to a specific subject area, whereas other databases are cross-disciplinary.

The information found in academic databases is typically not free, but requires an annual subscription to gain access. VLC database access is funded by the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) for all of its students, placing thousands of ebooks, videos, articles, and other forms of amazing research at your fingertips!

Websites vs. VLC Databases
Why should I use databases when I can just search the web? - We all know that you are asking this question. Read this comparison to get an answer to your question.

Here's How:

A. Click on the 9-12 Zone in the website header

B. Select the Subject Guide for your class from one of the drop-down menus

C. Find the Suggested Databases box under any one of the pages of the Subject Guide and pick the one that best suits what you are researching

What is browsing and why would I want to browse?

Browsing is casually looking over the contents of something, in this case a database. Browsing is a great way to get a general understanding of the topics within a subject area, or the formats of information that a database offers (e.g. audio, video, articles, etc.) It is a good idea to browse a database before conducting an Advanced Search, so that you do not eliminate relevant results. Browsing can help you to identify terms to include in your search, including keywords, publication names, etc..

How do I browse?

Databases enable users to browse in different ways, for example, by subject or by publication title. Each database may present these options in a differently, dependent upon their platform.

Here are some terms options to look for:

Using the Advanced Search functions in a VLC database will help you to find the most relevant information available for your topic

Advanced Search functions typically allow you to specify the following in your search:

Follow the below steps to take advantage of the power of a database advanced search!

***Note: the Core Concepts Biology, Teen Health and Wellness, and Encyclopedia Britannica databases do not offer an Advanced Search. However, Boolean Operators can still be used, just be sure to capitalize them. See #1 below for more information.

Step #1:

Boolean Operators - Search Databases like an Expert!
Learn how to the Boolean Operators, OR, AND, & NOT to enhance your searches.

Step #2:

Note: If you do not restrict your search to Full Text only, then your search results will include articles that appear to be blank (i.e there will be a citation and an abstract, but the full contents of the article may not be available).

Where to click:

Step #3:

Where these options are found:

Find more current results by restricting the publication date range in your search.

Gr. 9-12: Ask Us/Demande Moi

Gr. 9-12: How do I start my research?

Gr. 9-12: How do I cite my sources?

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

Use the following resources to help construct an APA annotated bibliography.

OWL - Annotated Bibliography Samples
Sample annotations from the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University.
Writing an Annotated Bibliography - University of Toronto
Advice from the University of Toronto on how to write an annotated bibliography.
How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
A guide to annotated bibliographies from the Olin Library Reference, Research & Learning Services at Cornell University.