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Evaluating Information Sources

Evaluating Information Sources. Scott Cowan scowan@uwindsor.ca Fay Kennedy work@uwindsor.ca. agenda. Talk about what sources of information are available How to evaluate the information How to search for the information. Let’s talk research….

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Evaluating Information Sources

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  1. Evaluating Information Sources Scott Cowan scowan@uwindsor.ca Fay Kennedy work@uwindsor.ca

  2. agenda • Talk about what sources of information are available • How to evaluate the information • How to search for the information

  3. Let’s talk research….

  4. Matching an information need with an information source: what is out there??

  5. Some Sources of information • Newspapers/Magazines • Dictionaries/Encyclopedias • Books • Data/Statistics • Peer reviewed/Scholarly Journals • Websites

  6. Magazines and newspapers Examples of Periodicals and Magazines: • Time, Macleans, Nature, Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker, Wired, Rolling Stone • Either in print or online • Often very current and immediate • Offers a wide range of perspectives • Articles are usually short/concise • Usually not peer-reviewed or “scholarly” (editors)

  7. Encyclopedias/dictionaries • Excellent overviews – useful for introduction to a topic/concept • Well-organized • Wide range of topics • Provide further readings • Example: Encyclopedia Britannica, Wikipedia

  8. Wikipedia – good or evil?? • Who wrote it? • Can report incorrect information (has a history of reporting wrong deaths/information • Can be biased

  9. Encyclopedias/dictionaries

  10. Books/Monographs “A scholarly book or treatise on a single subject, complete in one physical piece, usually written by a specialist in the field.” • Comprehensive, covers many aspects of a topic • Written by experts, edited by publishers • Can take years to research, write, and publish • Usually long

  11. Sample books & monographs

  12. Scholarly articles • Can also be called academic • Research/review articles written by experts • Evaluated by scholars for its content and accuracy • Very specialized; articles focus on a specific aspect of a topic • Reviewed by editors and/or subject specialists before being published • Sometimes too specific for an overall picture of a particular topic • Example: Canadian Journal of Psychology

  13. General websites Advantages Disadvantages Quality and reliability of information frequently questionable Information can be very general Finding information can be difficult Sites or information can disappear over night • Immediate and fast • Readily searchable • Multiple points of view available • Vast amounts of information available almost anywhere 24/7

  14. Other kinds of resources • Government Documents • Government Statistics • Market information

  15. Evaluating Information Sources • ACCURACY: What is the source? Is it reliable? Are the links accurate? Believable? Cited? • AUTHORITY: Who is the author? Qulaifications? Is it sponsored by an organization? • CONTEXT: Does the content help with my research? Biased? Is it trying to sway you? • CURRENCY: When was it written/published? Kept up to day? • COVERAGE : Do I understand it? How is it presented? Use of graphics, text, stats? In-depth?

  16. How to Find sources • Use Leddy Library databases - search by subject or title if you do not know the name of the journal - Browse journals is you know the name of the journal the article is in • Use Google Scholar - In Google, type Google Scholar and then click on advanced search • Other Search Engines?

  17. It’s all about the search terms • Words are how we find information • Different resources use different words • Have an arsenal of search terms at your disposal

  18. Concepts Descriptions Names Vocabulary Other Spellings Dates Places Synonyms

  19. Search hints • AND OR NOT • Truncations (*) finds all forms of a word • Example: econom* will find economy, economics, economical, etc. • Wild Cards (?, $) • Wom?n will find woman, women • Behavio?r will also find behaviour • Phrase Searches • Use with two or more words in an exact order • Example: “World Series,” “Civil War”

  20. From question to concepts Is incarcerating male perpetrators of violence against women an effective response to the problem? • Key Concepts: Incarceration Males Violence against women Effective Prison, mass incarceration, prison abolition Men Domestic violence, battery Prevention, intervention *Finding good information can take patience and thoughtful planning*

  21. Dead ends? • Difference resources? • Different approach? • Reword question? • Broaden question? • Narrow focus? • Different source? • Different database?

  22. Let’s practice!!

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