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Research Guide for Prof. Grassinger (North & Online): Home

Use the research databases listed here to find articles and other information from sources like newspapers, magazines, and reference materials. See the in-class learning objectives.

Find books, articles, videos, and more from a single search box.

OneSearch

Advanced Search


Use these resources during the early stages of a research project to help you identify a topic and start gathering background information.

Want to see even more databases? Check out our A-Z list where you can see all of our databases and sort them by subject area.


Magazines and journals presentation What's the difference? This presentation compares articles from academic journals and magazines.

Evaluating Sources Using Lateral Reading

Ultimately, it's your responsibility 1, 2, 3 to evaluate the quality of any information before using it it a paper, presentation, or another project.

The steps of the SIFT model 4 described below can be used to help researchers identify key elements to be on the lookout for when assessing a source. Check out the explanations and questions for each section and start using them to evaluate sources such as books, articles, and websites.

STOP

Pause and examine a source before using it

Before reading or engaging with a source (website, article, book, etc.) from an author or site that is unknown to you do a quick evaluation of it to ensure it's legitimate and reliable.

  • Examine the steps below to see what actions you can take.
  • Using inaccurate information in a research project could cause complications or lead to a lesser grade.
  • Sharing inaccurate information with others could reflect poorly on you.
  • The goal is to use high-quality information.

Investigate

Investigate the source to assess its reputation and potential for bias

  • Open a new web browser window and explore search engines, Wikipedia, and other sites to quickly gather information.
  • Find information about the publisher/website. Is it a reputable organization? Try these sites to gather information:
  • Find out more about the author.
    • Does the author have the background, training, or experience to quality as an expert?
    • Do they have a history of being reliable? Do they work for a reputable organization or are they a random, unknown person?

Find better coverage

Look for coverage of the topic from trusted sources

A quick search in a library database or search engine can lead you to higher quality sources to confirm claims made in unknown or untrusted sites.

  • Search reputable news sources for articles as journalists regularly do fact-checking before publishing.
  • Explore fact-checking sites like Snopes, Politifact, FactCheck.org, and Lead Stories to verify claims.
  • Use a library research database to access higher quality sources without a paywall.

Trace claims back to the original source

Locate the original source of any claims, research data, or quotes

Information can be distorted or misinterpreted when it is shared outside of its original context. If you encounter quotes, statistics, or other information that is attributed to another source, finding the original source of that information will allow you to verify its accuracy.

  • Look for clues such as names of quoted people or titles of journals where research was published and use them to run searches to track down the original source.
  • Explore search engines to see if a copy of the original source can be found.
  • Search Library publications using tools like our journal finder or specific research databases that contain thousands of publications.
  • Contact a librarian for assistance in finding sources

Reference librarians are available at each campus library to help you take advantage of the broad array of print and electronic resources available to you through the CCAC Libraries. For example, a librarian can help you:

  • Select and focus a research topic.
  • Devise an effective research strategy.
  • Locate relevant books, articles, and other information sources.
  • Evaluate the quality of resources.
  • Use research tools such as the library catalog and our many periodical databases.
  • Obtain materials not available on-campus.
  • Cite and document resources using a style guide like MLA or APA.
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Christopher Galluzzo
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CCAC North Campus
412.369.3663

cgalluzzo@ccac.edu
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