Earth and Environmental Science

Year 11 Earth & Environmental Science - Depth Study - Research Guide

USING THIS GUIDE

Use this guide to help you research a wide range of information for your Year 11 Earth & Environmental Science - Depth Study.  The Google Slide and ClickView video above provide instructions about navigating the library's databases.

The rest of this guide provides:

• further tips and instructions about using databases 

• applying the CRAAP test to your resource selection

• links to suggested websites and Google tips and alternatives.

Next steps ...

It is recommended that you know how to navigate the databases (so read the Google Slide or watch the video above) and then you can choose which parts of the guide below will be most helpful for you. Try something you have not used before and see what results you obtain (e.g advanced searching in Google).

In summary, the recommended research resources include:

1. eResources (e.g Science Reference Centre, Secondary Explora, Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre)

2. Journals (such as Australian Geographic)

3. Advanced internet searching using Google (try this to aid construction of a more specific, complex Google search)

4. Alternative search engines (such as Kidrex) 

5. Government websites and other science websites  (such as the CSIRO and Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment).

6. Other reputable websites (such as The Conversation). 

Before you start searching, brainstorm keywords and construct different searches (see detailed instructions below). 

As you find potential sources, be sure to evaluate them using the CRAAP test. This stands for:

• Currency

• Relevance

• Authority

• Accuracy

• Purpose

This guide explains each of the above criteria for the CRAAP test and the questions you need to apply to the websites (as well as any other types of information) you consult to determine the quality, relevance and usefulness of the source for your particular research. Ask yourself, does this source pass the CRAAP test?

TIP: Use Boolean search operators to expand and narrow your search

Understanding and learning how to search using Boolean techniques will help you search online databases and the internet more effectively. See below for helpful tips on Boolean searching and a short video introduction. 

TIPS FOR IMPROVING KEYWORD SEARCHING:

Use Boolean search terms

Here’s a simple introduction to the basics of Boolean searching. Boolean searching allows you to formulate searches where 2 or more terms are used. It helps you to search more effectively and efficiently.

Þ      OR: The use of “or” will broaden your search. For example, searching for information on “brumbies” OR “wild horses” will return results where either or both keywords appear.

Þ      AND: The use of “and” will limit your search. For example, searching for information on “camels” AND “Australia” will only return results where both keywords are used.

Þ      NOT: The use of “not” can be used to exclude information. For example, searching for information on “whales” AND “sharks” NOT “Pacific Ocean” will return results in articles where both the terms whales and sharks appear but exclude any results where the term Pacific Ocean also appears.

Use Quotation marks

Þ      Use quotation marks if you need to keep terms together. For example, “cane toads” will search for articles where this term appears together. If you simply searched cane toads without the use of quotation marks, you would obtain results with articles with the word “cane” or “toads” in them but not necessarily together.

Use Truncation

Þ      Another useful tip is the use of the asterisk (*) to truncate your search term. If you would like to know how to use this please ask Mrs Sylaprany for assistance.

WEBSITES

The following websites may be helpful:

1. ABC Science 

2. Australian Geographic

3. Department of Agriculture, Water & the Environment 

4. Explore CSIRO 

5. SBS Science 

Advanced searching in Google

Have you used Google's Advanced search features? 

There are useful tools available in the Advanced search feature that will help make searching more effective and efficient. Using the Advanced search functions can help you construct a more refined search. Rather than doing a search in the basic Google search, try to remember to use the Advanced Search function whenever you use Google.   For more information about Boolean searching in Google visit this page.

ALTERNATIVE SEARCH ENGINES TO GOOGLE

Google is an incredible search engine and the amount of information it allows you to access is truly amazing. However, it is not the ONLY search engine available, and it is highly recommended that you complement your internet research with other search engines. Use the search you constructed in Google and try it in one of the following search engines: (compare your results to Google)

• DuckDuckGo

• WolframAlpha

• Ecosia

APA REFERENCING

Get help with referencing for your assignment, especially in-text citations. Click here.