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Help: Research Skills

 Help Pages - Research Skills

Basics

  • Check you understand the task: what are the key words?
  • Develop your search skills: keyword generation and search engine tools
  • Evaluate information sources: who wrote it? When, why and how? Use the CRAP test
  • Wikipedia is your friend - use to develop understanding, but use it along with other, more specific sources
  • Know how to access the library - print sources and online content
  • Read strategically and take notes as you go
  • File management!

Currency:

  • How recent is the information? When was it published?
  • How recently has the website/information been updated?
  • Is the research current enough for your topic, or is it outdated?

Reliability:

  • What kind of information is included in the resource? Is it based on facts and statistics, or is it “padded” but really has no substance?
  • Is the content of the source based primarily on opinion?
  • Is the author’s argument balanced, showing both sides of an issue?
  • Does the author provide references or research sources for data and/or quotations?

Authority:

  • Who is the creator/author?
  • What are their credentials? What is their background?
  • Does the author possess “authority” to speak and/or write about their topic?
  • Who is the publisher or sponsor of the research?
  • Is the author or publisher reputable?

Purpose:

  • What is the purpose of the organization publishing the research?
  • Is the source informative or persuasive?
  • Is it biased?
  • Is the creator/author trying to sell you something?
  • Are there advertisements on the website?

In the Library

Databases

Research skills videos