Storage Guide for reusable content 111

Library Databases may contain:

• scholarly articles
• newspapers or magazines
• images or historical documents
• full-text books

The research process can look different for everyone, and may look different from project to project, but most will have a few common features:

1. Begin with a question you want answered. What are you most interested in learning?
2. Decide what type of information you need: do you need newspapers, books, or scholarly articles?
3. Gather and evaluate information: are your sources current, reliable, applicable, and unbiased?
4. Is your question answered? Do you need more (or different) information? Do you need to change your question?
5. Repeat 1-4 until you're ready to use the information: make a decision, write a paper, present, etc.

Don't forget to ask a librarian for help!

Make a research question from your topic.

• For example: "What is currently being done to help conserve the endangered Giant Panda population?"
  • Keywords: conserve and Giant Panda

Think of related words.

• Conserve: conservation, preservation, protection
• Giant Panda: panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca (scientific name).

Get searching!

Click image for more information

Scholarly articles:

• are written, reviewed, and edited by experts,
• refer to work by other scholars

Learn more evaluating scholarly articles

Try the Discover search box on the library home page to search multiple databases at the same time. In the advanced search or the side filter facets select Peer Reviewed (Scholarly).

 Also, try our "EBSCO Search" to search about 60 databases from the vendor EBSCO at the same time (see search tab options at the top of your main search or in Advanced Search).

Once in a database, you can select Peer-Reviewed Only and/or Scholarly in the Advanced Search or using side filter facets

How to double-check if an article is peer-reviewed using a journal title search in our database Ulrich:

Search the journal title (what journal published the article) in our database Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory (see Databases A-Z) to verify that the "Serial Type" is a Journal and that the "Content Type" is Academic/Scholarly.

 Also, check the Description: the journal will typically say if it is peer-reviewed (&/or refereed) or scholarly reviewed 

 Key Features: Refereed / Peer-reviewed.

If you search for articles using Discover, check the box for Scholarly Articles.  It will automatically search for scholarly, peer-reviewed journals.

The search results will show the facet Peer-reviewed Journals is being used to filter the search results.

You may directly search the title of a "serial" publication in Ulrichsweb to be 100% certain that it is a scholarly journal.

Read the Basic Description for information on Serial Type/Content Type.  It is a scholarly journal if it states:

• Serial type:  Journal
• Content type:  Academic Scholarly

Peer-reviewed journals are considered the most authoritative of scholarly journals.  The articles are reviewed by experts specializing in the same scholarly area as the author.  A publication is "peer reviewed" if it states:

• Refereed:  Yes

A trade journal may be reputable, but it is NOT a scholarly journal.  Even if the word "journal" is in the name of a publication, it is NOT necessarily a scholarly journal.

A trade newspaper may be reputable, but it is not a scholarly journal.

The CRAAP Test is a list of questions to determine if the information you have is accurate and reliable. Keep in mind, the type of source your need will depend on the situation. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your need.

Currency: The timeliness of the information

• When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic?
• Are the links functional?

Relevancy: The importance of the information for your needs

• Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
• Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?

Authority: The source of the information

• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• Are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given?
• What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic?
• Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?
• Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? Examples: .com .edu .gov .org .net

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the informational content

• Where does the information come from?
• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
• Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
• Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
• Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose: The reason the information exists

• What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?
• Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
• Is the information fact? opinion? propaganda?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
• Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?

Help with Evaluation

More help is available: The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides an in-depth guide to evaluating sources and information, including print and internet sources.

A good research topic...

• Fits the assignment requirements
• Can be supported by research materials available
• Is interesting to you - it's something you want to learn more about
• Has a unique angle or explores a 'hot' issue in your field (esp. important for senior/grad level papers)

Can’t think of a topic to research? Get ideas from:

• Your class textbook(s)
• Notes from class discussions and lectures
• Current magazines and newspapers
• Encyclopedias - online or in print
• Your instructor or a librarian
• A 'Hot topic' database such as CQ Researcher 

Boolean Operators are words and symbols that group keywords in specific ways.

• Group keywords together with quotation marks to search as an exact phrase. Example: “alfred hitchcock”
• Use AND to combine several keywords or phrases. Example: “opening credits”  AND typography
• Use OR to search for information about one term, and also articles about another term. Example: film OR cinema
• Use the asterisk * if you want to search multiple iterations of a keyword. Example: sequenc* = sequence, sequences, sequencing