Download - English 1102
Critically evaluate information using applicable criteria
Appropriately use information to fulfill the identified need
English 1102
English 1102 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.
What to do before you search…
Brainstorm ideas for a topic Talk with friends Browse indexes, table of contents
Define your topic Understand your assignment Narrow vs. broad
Identify main topic Identify related concepts/ideas/subtopics List synonyms for each category
Develop your research strategy Connect concepts & synonyms
Helpful Hint
Brainstorm
Define
Identify
Develop
Identify search terms
Concept 1
AND
Concept 2
AND
Concept 3
Main idea Related idea Subtopic
OR OR OR
Synonym Synonym Synonym
OR OR OR
Synonym Synonym Synonym
• Use “ “ or ( ) to keep words together & in order• Connect different concepts with AND• Connect similar concepts with OR
Boolean Operators
AND = narrow
OR = expand
NOT = exclude
AND is automatically used by Google and other search engines to combine terms
Sometimes a program will use a + or – to substitute for AND or NOT
Books
Articles
Online Resources
Know where to look
Books
comprehensive information
often a historical perspective
find book titles in the CSU Catalog
CSU Catalog
Basic search
Articles
contemporary or new information
narrowly focused perspective
find articles in a database
citation
full-text
Find Articles
Academic Search Complete
Basic Search
Select Advanced Search
Search Strategy = “binge drinking” AND college AND impact
different ideas connected with AND
similar ideas connected with OR
Search Strategy = (“binge drinking” OR “alcohol abuse”) AND (college OR university) AND impact
*Use “ “ or ( ) to keep words together & in order
Results List
Use suggested subject terms for brainstorming
Article Access Level
Detailed Record
Online Resources
today’s information
broad, variety perspective
may be unstable
find resources from reliable online sources
Know Your Domains
Extension Type
.edu Educational institution
.org Non-profit service organizations
.gov Government agency
.mil Military entities
.biz Businesses
.com Commercial organization
.net Internet service providers
Critically evaluate information using applicable criteria
Evaluating Information
Evaluating Information
Authority
Currency
Content
Audience
Purpose/Scope
Objectivity/Bias
Accuracy
Quality
Evaluate: Authority
Determine the need for an expert or popular perspective
Who is the author?
What are the author’s credentials?
What affiliations does the author have?
Is contact information provided?
Who published the work?
Who sponsored the work?
Evaluate: Currency
Determine the need for a contemporary or historical perspective for your topic
When was the work published?
Are there multiple editions?
Examine the currency of the references
Evaluate: Content
Determine the information need
Who is the intended audience?
What is the purpose? Scope?
Examine objectivity, accuracy
Is the information verifiable?
Evaluate overall quality
Evaluate overall usefulness, appropriateness
Authority
Authority
Currency
Content
Content
Authority
Currency
Content
Authority
Content
Content
Currency
Authority
Authority
Content
Currency
Content
Content
Authority
Final Review
1. Know your assignment
2. Clarify your topic
3. Be flexible in your search
4. Critically evaluate your resources
Next steps
Appropriately use information to fulfill the identified need
Go to: http://clayton.libguides.com/ENGL1102 for tips on citing sources and avoiding plagiarism