Research Strategies that Work

Take a few minutes to learn what it takes to be a savvy researcher using  the interactive Thinglink graphic below. What do you think these various terms mean?  

Finding Credible Sources

To give us a spring board for our discussion on credible sources, we will watch and discuss these short videos called "Five Ways to Spot Fake News" and ""Five Ways to Spot Fake News".
The term credibility is defined as "the quality or power of inspiring belief". Credible sources, then, must provide information that people have every reason to believe are true.  In your research and in your writing, you will want to make sure you are getting your information from the most credible sources. That way your audience will trust the information they read in your essay or report.

Since we will be using sources we discover online, how will we know if those sources are actually credible? There are five criteria we will use to assess the credibility of online sources.  Each criterion is listed below, along with a question that, when asked, will help you assess the credibility of any online source.  If a source doesn't meet any one of the following ABC criteria, don't use it, no matter how much you like the content.
  1. Authority and Accuracy      *Translation: WHO wrote and/or published the article/sources?
    1. Does the web page list the author and institution that published the page?
    2. What are the author's credentials? Is the author an expert in the field he or she is writing about?
    3. Is the institution or organization publishing the research credible? 
    4. Is the domain .edu, .gov, .org, or .net?  A web page with a .com domain may be okay if you can attest to it's objectivity, and a .org isn't always a guarantee of credibility either (debate.org, for example).
    5. Does the web page provide a way of contacting the author and the institution 
  2. Bias and Beneficiaries (AKA Objectivity)     ​   Translation: WHAT, if any, is the author's bias? Purpose?
    1. Is the author/web page objective in presenting its content, or information, or is the author/web page trying to sell you something?  
    2. Is the content on the web page limited to the author's perspective or opinions only, or are other perspectives represented? 
    3. What is the purpose of the author?  Is it to inform, to entertain, to market a product, or persuade?  Who benefits from this information getting out on the web?
    4. Does the web page provide accurate information with limited advertising?
  3. Currency and Coverage          Translation: HOW current is the source?  HOW credible are the author's sources?
    1. Does the author/web page cite sources?
    2. Are those sources credible and current?
    3. Is the content current?  Is the web page updated regularly?
    4. Are the links (if any) also up-to-date?  Is the linked information credible?
    5. Can you view the information without having to pay fees, change your browser settings, or install special software/downloads?​​​

*For more questions to ask yourself about the credibility of your sources, visit the University of South Carolina's Upstate Library site here:  ABC's of Determining Credible Sources: Finding Credible Sources

Click on the tabs at the top of the page to see those important questions.

Learning How to Judge a Source as CREDIBLE

PART 1:  Your First Learning Task  
View the Shmoop video at ELAted.us > More > Conducting Research Like a Boss, to learn how to identify RELIABLE, or CREDIBLE, online content from online content that is not, and thus, present yourself as credible in your own writing and speaking.
Directions:
  1. Watch the Shmoop video on the right, pausing as necessary, to answer the questions on the print (see me for this) or the digital handout provided here:
  2. Respond to the questions asked in this digital handout.  I will have paper copies, also, if you prefer.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19XGSH0-pg1YhVSgJHOC4aduatcSr33XZgZmaajS-49U/edit?usp=sharing

PART 2: Your Second Learning Task
Use the criteria you just learned to evaluate a website for its credibility.
Directions:
  1. Review the websites from the bank at the bottom of the Part 1 digital handout page.  The website "bank" is called "Websites to Evaluate."
  2. Discuss with a partner whether or not these are credible and why or why not.
  3. Choose one to evaluate in-depth using the digital handout linked below (as well as linked on the second page of the first handout).  Again, I will have paper copies if you need them.  
  4. When you are finished, ask for permission to print your work.

Here again is link you'll need to look for any Internet hoaxes.
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/1135_hoax.pdf

Great Places to Start Your Research

INFOhio is a digital library for student researchers like you.  The great thing about INFOhio is that the web sites you can use for your research are credible, organized by grade level, and linked for easy access. 

Get started by clicking on the INFOhio logo below.  Two resources I really like on INFOhio are Explora for Grades 6 - 8 and Points of View Reference Center.
Other high quality research sites include these:
  • Google Scholar - Type in specific topics to search for credible sources.
  • Procon.org - Search for topics using the Search Bar or click on one of the controversial issues listed on the home page.