GATHER, EVALUATE, AND DOCUMENT SOURCES
Part of the research process is to be able to gather information from a range of relevant print
and electronic sources. We will use the school library information system to locate reference
materials (i.e. an encyclopedia) about your subject. You may use all types of resources, however
your final project REQUIRES that you have at least the following sources: one encyclopedia
source or other reference book; two non-fiction book, magazine, newspaper article, or other type
of database source; two Internet sources. While five sources are required, more sources may be
used as needed.
When you find an information source you wish to use, you must create a bibliographic citation for
it. Each citation should be recorded on the “BIBLIOGRAPIC CITATION INFORMATION” sheet
located at the back of this packet. Remember that bibliographic information for citations should
include the author, the title, page numbers, publishers, etc. If a piece of information is not
present in a source, simply leave that box blank and move on to the next box in your bibliographic
citation information.
For print sources, you should be able to identify the following citation information:
Author’s name, title of the chapter or essay being used, the title of the text, the name of the
editor (this may or may not be present), the edition and/or volume of the text, the place of
publication, the name of the publisher, the date of publication (copyright date), and the medium
of publication would be
print
. (Databases are print sources.)
For internet sources, you should be able to identify the following citation information:
Author/creator’s name, title of the webpage, the title of the website (which may be the same as
the title of the webpage), the date of publication (or last update), the date you accessed the site
(when you actually used the site), the name of the sponsoring institution or organization, the
simple URL (www.whatever.com/org/edu/gov/mil). If you are using an image from the site (map,
graph, chart, photograph), be sure to include the title of the image (can be a brief description of
the image is a specific title isn’t shown). The medium of the publication would be
web
.
Evaluating sources:
While most print sources are from reliable, credible sources, when you begin internet research it
is important to check the reliability and validity of your sources. We will use the “Get R.E.A.L.”
check to validate your internet sources:
Read the URL: identify the URL extension:
gov = government mil = military edu = education
com = business org = any organiztion net = any organization
Examine the content: is the information useful and accurate? Are additional links provided? Is
the site current and updated?
Ask about the author or owner: is the owner a person, company, or organization? Is the owner
an authority on the subject matter of the site?
Look at the links: are the links to other websites credible?