Research Tips

Click on the resource below to go to that topic on this page

____________________________________________________________

Databases

Click here for Subscription Databases You Can Use

Click here for database search tips

Tips for searching with Google

____________________________________________________________

Evaluating Sources

Online Source Evaluation

Quick Tips

Check your search results using the three-dots menu
- Click the 3 vertical dots by your search result
- Does the overlay give information that shows that the site seems reliable?

Key Questions to Ask

as You Look at Sources and Media

SIFT to Evaluate Sources

STOP - Headlines are often meant to get clicks, and will do so by causing the reader to have a strong emotional response. What do you know about the source? Do you know its reputation?

INVESTIGATE the Source - Take a moment to look up the author and source publishing the information. What can you find about the author/website creators? Go beyond the 'About Us' section on the organization's website and see what other, trusted sources say about the source. You can use Google or Wikipedia to investigate the source.

FIND Better Coverage - Again, use lateral reading to see if you can find other sources corroborating the same information or disputing it. Many times, fact checkers have already looked into the claims, and have information available on FactCheck.org or Snopes.com, for example.

TRACE Claims and Media - When claims are made about a topic, or photo/video evidence provided, always try to find the original source of the text or media, as often context can be missing. This can often help to identify material that was AI generated,

(Adapted from the University of Chicago Library https://guides.lib.uchicago.edu/misinformation)

Things to Consider

Motive for the Content
- Inform, sell, entertain, mislead/confuse, influence
Type of Source according to Domain
- .com = commercial/for-profit
- .net = network-related domain
- .org = non-profit organization
- .edu = educational institution
- .gov = government
- .mil = military
- .int = international organization
Currency
- Is the information up-to-date?
Authority
- Check to see who the author or sponsor is - Are they experts? What are their credentials?
- Is there a list of sources?
- Has the information been reviewed by experts in the field?
Accuracy
- Compare, compare, compare
  - Look at multiple reliable sources to see if they give the same information
- Use the web to find information, quotes, and images (using reverse image) on the original source
- Use Wikipedia to learn more about a source’s reputation
  - Is the organization or site what you thought? Does this make it seem more or less reliable?

Key-Questions-for-Decoding Dec-21.pdf

Fact-Checking Sites

Click here for a source evaluation document to help you evaluate your source using the CRAAP test

____________________________________________________________

Primary and Secondary Sources

Types of Sources

types of sources

Primary vs. Secondary Source

Links to Primary Sources

Library of Congress Primary Sources by Topic
- - Sets of primary sources grouped by topic and sorted alphabetically. Each set has a short description of its contents. The primary sources are formatted in pdfs.
Library of Congress Primary Sources by State
- - Historical artifacts and cultural materials across the U.S. Click the state whose primary sources you want to explore.
Life Magazine Photo Archive
- - Search by typing key terms or look through images organized by decade (1860s through 1970s), famous people, places, events, or sports topics.
National Archives: DocsTeach
- - Search from thousands of U.S. primary sources. You can also search by era or by document type. The primary sources are pulled from the National Archives.
Primarily Washington
- - Pacific Northwest primary sources. Combined, digitized primary resources from the Washington State Library, Washington State Archives, and Legacy Washington. Clicking "explore" will give you a list of their collections. You can also search in the search bar in the top right.
Smithsonian's History Explorer
- - Features American history artifacts selected from over 3 million items in the Museum's collections. You can search for your topic under "explore." For "Resource Type" in the drop down, pick, "primary sources." Next, you can pick grade level, historical era, and curricular fields.
Washington Rural Heritage
- - Digitized primary sources documenting the early culture, industry, and community life of Washington State