Identifying and Locating Sources
Why did I include a tab on identifying and locating sources when they’re so easy to find on the Internet? Because that approach may satisfy a high school teacher (usually they’re generalists), but it rarely satisfies a college teacher (usually they’re specialists).
Here’s what happens when many students use the Google general search approach:
1) They do a Google search and take several sources from the top 10-30 hits, looking for something that supports their own ideas. This type of source usage rarely produces a compelling argument, an argument that convinces more than your best friends who’ll probably believe anything you say!
2) The sources may sound like they’re saying something that’s relevant to your research question, but the sources have not been read completely and carefully (if at all) and they say little about your specific subject. College teachers have often read many sources, so they know what those sources actually say. If you use an irrelevant source, you reveal your own lack of knowledge and effort.
3) The sources are inappropriate in some other way: they’re out-of-date, lack authority (have little knowledge or expertise on their topic), or they’re recounting hearsay or committing some type of verbal or illogical fallacy. College teachers can spot these problems easily!
Warning: I don’t mean to put down all Google searches; Google can be a fine search engine, as long as you understand Google’s limitations and know how to search carefully. (More on this step later.) Even better? Try Google Scholar
But there are alternatives to Google that will produce compelling, relevant, and appropriate sources. And these are the sources used by scholarly, professional, and business people everyday, so why not try them so you get some real world experience. Remember: you can put the research experience on your work resume!
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Tip #1: Before you start trying to locate sources, make sure you understand the role or function of those sources in the assignment. Should the sources show competing lines of thought on a question? Should they show the latest thought on an issue? Should they cover a particular time period or perspective or? Ask your instructor! Tip #2: Keep track of every single search, noting your search parameters and history. It’s really sad to hear stories about students trying to relocate an excellent source and coming up empty-handed (especially when it’s 6am and the assignment is due in 3 hours)! Keep a research log, a log just like researchers keep! Tip #3: Know when to modify or call off an unsuccessful search or unproductive line of inquiry. When you cannot find sources, spending more time searching may not be productive; instead, if you think the sources are there somewhere, think smarter about how and where to search and/or get help from your instructor or a reference librarian. Tip #4: Know how to identify source types/categories so you search for the correct one. Click on the links below to see/read/find different types and/or categories: Tip #5: Know which sources your professor wants you to use! Your professor may have specific ideas about which sources to use. They might want you to use scholarly or peer-reviewed sources, or specific texts or media. But they may expect you to find other types of sources, too. That’s where the library online databases will come in handy.
Tip #5: Know how to dig deeply into a search. Click this link and complete these tutorials here Tip #6: Other nifty places to find sources:
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