Question answering：Finding & Evaluating Sources

Purpose of this quiz: To learn how to find and evaluate different sources, particularly scholarly sources.

1. Recognize trustworthy information sources
2. Learn how to effectively search in academic databases
3. Learn to use tools and strategies to keep research organized

Tasks:

1. Read about 4 ways to evaluate the trustworthiness of a source
2. Read about how and why to use databases to search for scholarly information sources
3. Practice searching for and evaluating scholarly information as part of your own research

Criteria for Success:

Complete all questions to the best of your ability. Show understanding of the differences in types of sources and how they can serve different purposes.

This module will focus on identifying different kinds of information sources and finding a (likely) new (to you) type of information source: scholarly journal articles. You will need at least three non-reference sources for your upcoming Research Question and Proposal assignment. In module #6, we’ll take a closer look at one of the articles you find and you’ll answer some questions about it. Module #7 will explore primary sources – what they are and how to find them!

Here in module 5, you will learn more about:

• How information is produced and how it changes over time
• Identifying different types of sources (books, journal articles, news periodicals, social media, websites, etc.)
• Scholarly and popular sources (identifying key differences)
• Primary and secondary sources (what they are and why they are important – more on this in module 7!)
• The myth of the “perfect source”
• Locating scholarly journal articles in library databases