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Discover the essential techniques for conducting thorough and effective research using both library and web resources. Learn how to identify the type of information needed, locate it, and critically evaluate sources to support your claims. This guide covers valuable strategies like following research heuristics, documenting sources, using library resources including books and journal articles, and navigating online databases. Gain insights on evaluating authorship, timeliness, evidence adequacy, and biases to ensure the reliability of your information. Embrace the academic tradition and avoid plagiarism by mastering documentation methods such as MLA.
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Doing Effective Research Using Library & Web Resources
Doing Effective Research • Knowing what kind of information you’re looking for; • Knowing where to get that information; • Knowing how to evaluation that information; and • Knowing how to use that information to support your claims
What Should I Do? • Follow the Research Heuristics (Good Reasons 264-65) • Document Sources as you find them • Make photocopies of articles from journals and from websites
Where to Find Information • Go to the Library to find • Books • Journal Articles • Atlas • Newspapers • Government Documents
Where to Find Information • Use the Library’s electronic resources to find: • Academic , Trade, & Popular Journal Articles • Newpapers • Websites
Where to Find Information • Use Internet Search Engines & Indexes to find: • Academic , Trade, & Popular Journal Articles • Newspapers • Websites
What kind of information? • Statistics? • Analyses? • Solutions? • Examples? • Interviews?
How Do I Evaluate Sources? • Know the source: • Who printed the book or article? • What organization or individual is responsible for the information found on the website?
How Do I Evaluate Sources? • Know the author • Who wrote the book or article? • What are her qualifications?
How Do I Evaluate Sources? • Know the timeliness of the information: • How current is the source? • Is currency important to your argument?
How Do I Evaluate Sources? • Know the evidence: • How adequate is the evidence used? • Where does the evidence come from? • Does the writer acknowledge other ways the evidence might be interpreted?
How Do I Evaluate Sources? • Know the biases in the argument: • Can you detect a particular biases • Is the writer forthcoming about his or her biases? • How do the writer’s biases effect the interpretation offered?
How Do I Evaluate Sources? • Know the nature of the publication: • Are there any advertisements promoting particular products, activities, viewpoints? • Might these effect what gets published?
How Do I Use Information to Support My Claims? • Direct Quotations • Summaries • Paraphrases
Why Do I Need to Document Sources? • To avoid plagiarism • To participate in the academic tradition • To acknowledge the work of others • To present a strong ethos
How Do I Document My Sources? • Use MLA Documentation see (291-96 in Good Reasons)