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Finding & Evaluating Sources

Your assignment for tonight (and the rest of the week) is to gather sources from the Internet related to your topic. Remember to try a variety of keyword terms; even "Huck" and "Huckleberry" yield different results. If you cannot find something that is directly related to your topic, don't give up. You may to "browse" through titles and read some abstracts (summaries). This will take some time and some work, but if you follow my process, you will get it done.

This week (and next) bring what you find. We will evaluate your sources and, if found reliable, we will discuss how to create a bibliographic citation for each. You will need your note cards for this, so please bring them to class. The 4X6 note cards work best. You will need a dozen or so, depending on how many sources you find.

Please evaluate each source before printing:
  • Relevance -- Is the source related directly to your topic? How long is the article, more than a page? Can you use the source more than once? Do you NEED the source?
  • Reliability -- Is the source reputable? Has the article been published in print? Is it connected to a university or library? Is there an author? If so, who is this person? A student? A professor? Is the site called "FreePapers.com"?
Print out a copy of each source you find, and staple each source individually as you print it. If you do this now, it will save you time later. Attach a 4X6 note card for bibliographic info and notes.
As discussed in class, the best way to find articles on topics pertaining to literature is to go through a database that collects articles in that field. Many of these databases are subscription based, and this is why access is often restricted. We have already discussed how to "Super Search" through Ouachita Parish Public Library. You will be able to access that information from home with a Ouachita Parish Library card. My friend at the Louise Williams branch is providing us with guest passes until you have your own card!

Although the best information can be hard to find through a search engine like Google, there are some free services that are quite useful:

Find Articles collects articles from (mostly popular) periodicals. You can search their database using keywords and print out full text articles. When you find an article that you like, look for the "print" icon at the bottom of the page. Clicking there will give you a print-ready copy, without all of the junk on the page.
Note that when you use an article found through Find Articles, or any other database, you must include that information (name of database and address, if not a subscription site) in the citation for the source.
Google Scholar searches sites related to academic research, which means that the sources are credible but hard to access. Once you have gotten your results for a search, pick an entry and click "web search." Sometimes you can get articles that are usually available only by subscription, but which have been re-posted. You might want to try it for yourself.

Next stop: GaleNet. We'll talk about this very useful service in class this week.

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