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Ryan Library subscribes to over 90 Databases that offer online access to journal and magazine articles or citations. Search selected databases using the Articles tab in the Quick Search Tools box on the Library's homepage.
For general research, we recommend starting with one of these two databases:
For research within a specific discipline, try starting with one of our Research Guides.
Consider Quality...
These principles of web source evaluation are drawn from The St. Martin's Handbook, 9th edition (pp.198-99):
Authorship
Does the site/document have an author? What are the author's credentials? Why should you trust this author as an expert?
Publisher/Sponsor
Who sponsors or publishes the source? What evidence demonstrates that the sponsor/publisher is credible? What purpose/perspective does the sponsor seem to promote?
Currency
How recently was the information posted or modified? Could it be outdated or obsolete?
Credibility
How do you know that the information itself is trustworthy? Are there links to other sites/sources to support factual claims?
Smart Searching Using Google |
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Indicator |
Purpose |
Example |
site: |
Find information from a certain site |
site:www.pointloma.edu |
define: |
Find definitions for a word |
define:collegiate |
filetype: |
Find only one kind of file |
filetype:PDF |
-word |
Eliminate results with particular words |
college protests -vietnam |
“word” |
Find an exact word (no plurals/synonyms) |
“generation” “exploit” |
“multiple words” |
Find a group of words in exact order |
“No Child Left Behind” |
Navigating Your Results |
||
[Cntl/Command]+F |
Find a certain word on the page |
Hold down Control/Command and letter F. Enter the word you’re searching for in the box that appears. |
Try one of these options:
Google Advanced Search - provides more options for your search strategy.
Google Advanced Scholar Search - search for scholarly articles.
Google Advanced Book Search - search for books on your topic.
Google Alert - monitor the web 24/7 for interesting new content.
How to Distinguish News from Other Types of Information
Ask yourself, does this piece of information demonstrate verification, independence and accountability (VIA)? If it does not, it’s not news and may be propaganda or fake news.
Verification
A process of collecting evidence that establishes or confirms the accuracy or truth of something.
Independence
Freedom from the control, influence, or support of interested parties, coupled with a conscious effort to set aside any preexisting beliefs and a system of checks and balances.
Accountability
Being responsible or answerable for your work.
(From http://drc.centerfornewsliteracy.org/content/via)
How to Evaluate the Sources Used in News Stories for Quality, Credibility and Trustworthiness (IMVA/IN)
I: Independent sources are better than self-interested sources
M: Multiple sources are better than single sources
V: Sources who Verify with evidence are better than sources who assert
A / I: Authoritative / Informed sources are better than uninformed sources
N: Named sources are better than unnamed sources
(from http://drc.centerfornewsliteracy.org/content/introducing-imvain)