Global Issues - Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA)
General information
For this assignment you will chose a topic to research regarding the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
In this guide you will find information about researching databases. There is also information about researching on the web and NoodleTools.
This page includes search boxes for the databases used most often. For more information about a specific database or to view all the online resources and tutorials to help you get the most out of the online databases, please visit the Library Resources page or click the Databases icon.
Remember, to access the databases at home you will need the usernames and passwords found on mySJR under links. Click on the link to the page entitled Educational Resources Log in and Password Information.
Choosing the right source for the job
Before you start researching any topic you need to think about what type(s) of information you need and where the best place to locate that information would be.
Information about the Act
primary source - the Act itself
explanation/interpretations of the Act - Justice Canada website, periodical databases
News articles about YCJA or news about people charged under the Act
periodical databases, Google News
Case law:
Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII), periodical databases, Google Scholar
Databases:
A library database is an online collection of organized and searchable resources, such as journals, newspapers, and videos. You can search databases to find the most reliable, academic information for assignments. This information cannot be found through the Internet (i.e. Google) because a subscription is needed to access it.
Basic tips:
Keep short strings short. Go to the Advanced Search page to separate keywords into multiple boxes.
Keyword
If you are not find what you want, try changing the keywords.
Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) and truncation (*) to expand and narrow results.
Use the filters/limiters provided by the database to refine your results.
For more information about using databases, please view Databases 101 page.
Gale databases
Gales's PowerSearch allows you to search all the inContext databases at one time.
Start by using the search string: youth criminal justice act (capitalization does not matter)
EBSCO databases
EBSCO is good choice when looking for current information from magazines, journals, and newspapers. Click the link to search EBSCo's periodical databases.
Discovery - search everything at once
EBSCO Discovery, once it is fully enabled, will search all the resources Bonnycastle Library has at one time. It can be a great search but will provide you with a lot of results. Consider using a specific database if you know what you are looking for.
Websites:
Good resources for Global Issues topics can be found on the open web but you must always check to ensure your source is appropriate and authoritative.
Sites to use:
Look under Educational Tools for Fact Sheets
Look under Research and Analysis for Reports
Look under the Youth Criminal Justice Act for a great summary
Check out:
Government of Canada - Justice Laws Website - Click to view the Act
Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLii)
Google News - helpful for news stories
Google Scholar - helpful for case law
Search tips:
In browser type:
site:.gc.ca AND search term will limit to government of Canada sites
site:.edu AND search term will limit to education institutional sites
A word about bias
Confirmation Bias: When you only pay attention to resources that support your opinion. Often people don't even realize they are filtering out other opinions and facts. To avoid confirmation bias, get your information from a variety of sources. Look at both "pro" and "con" arguments.
It is up to you to assess the validity of a source.
Remember to cite your sources.