Finding+and+Evaluating+Resources

Finding and Evaluating Resources There are many different types of resources you can use when performing research. http://destiny.kaneroe.org/common/ welcome.jsp?context=aurorawest Aurora Public Library: http://www2.youseemore.com/aurorapl/ Default.asp? For recommendations and lists: www.teenreads.com ||
 * Type of Resource || Available in the LMC ||
 * ✓Books || Herget LMC Library Catalog:
 * ✓Magazines and Newspapers || Kane County Chronicle Chicago Tribune Beacon News

Daily Herald The Chicago Sun-Times ||
 * ✓Encyclopedias and Handbooks || World Book Encyclopedia Occupational Outlook Handbook ||
 * ✓Dictionaries and Thesauruses || Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Dictionary

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Scholastic Student Thesaurus || Google should not necessarily be your first step when starting research. The library has many great databases for you to use. How do I know if my source is valid? Content: What is covered in the source and why has the resource been created?
 * ✓Online Databases || EBSCO Research Database: Features full-text documents and pictures for use in research. ||

The J.K. Rowling website covers basic information about the author and the books in order to inform people. Reliability: Is the author or publisher well known? If it is a website, is the author or company listed on the page? World Book Encyclopedia would be a much more reliable source than a twitter account for a person who enjoys random facts. Accuracy: Is the information you found accurate? Check reviews for books on goodreads.com or booklist.com. Are there any spelling or grammatical errors? A website or book 17 with a lot of spelling errors or badly structured sentences may not be a reliable source for your research. Currency: Has the book or website been updated recently? The date should be present and easy to locate. A statistics website should be updated within at least the last year, if not later in order to be accurate and up to date. Other Sources Available: Are there other sources that may be more reliable? There are hundreds of Harry Potter fansites, but the official website of J.K. Rowling would be the most reliable. References: Does the book or website cite their sources? Most if not all research materials will have a references section. A website discussing the effect of the Civil War on America should have references to historical documents and articles.

Sources to stay away from: Wikipedia, About.com, etc...

Why? Wikipedia and About.com can be edited and created by anyone!