Research Tools and Support
Researching a topic can be frustrating when you don't know where or how to start. Finding credible, trustworthy sources can be difficult, especially if you've never been formally taught how to evaluate your sources. Is the information you are locating accurate? Current? Biased? Scholarly?
To help you understand how to locate scholarly information using online sources, complete the Research Skills Scavenger Hunt located to the left. This will give you an opportunity to explore difference resources that you may not have had any exposure to before and how to properly evaluate online sources to ensure they are worthy of being part of your research.
Like always, if you have any questions about researching a topic and finding good scholarly information, be sure to check in with your teacher librarian for advice and support.
When using basic search engines, such as Google, Bing and Yahoo, evaluate online sources by giving each source the CRAAP test. Consider the questions presented in the image to the left of the screen to determine how credible the source is and the value it brings to your research. The CRAAP test was developed by librarians at California State University and is now used by colleges and universities around the world, including Western University.