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Starting your Research You will start your research for Essay 3 and find at least one article using Google

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Starting your Research

• You will start your research for Essay 3 and find at least one article using Google. You will eventually incorporate information from this article into Essay 3.
• To get started, use questions and your thesis to help guide your research. Here are some example questions that could guide research:
  • "What are the best ways to reduce food waste in fast food restaurants?"
  • "What are ways to improve food pantries on college campuses?"
  • "What has been done in San Diego to improve food deserts?"

Finding Credible Sources on Google

• Add site:edu, site:gov, or site:org after your search term to limit the types of websites that come up in your search.
• For example, if you’re researching restaurant waste, you could type in the following when you do a Google search: restaurant food waste site:edu. Then, only edu websites, which tend to be more credible, will appear in your list.

 

Evaluating Sources: the CRAAP Test

from Meriam Library @CSU Chico

When you search for information, you're going to find lots of it, but is it good information? You will have to determine that for yourself, and the CRAAP Test can help. The CRAAP Test is a list of questions to help you evaluate the information you find. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your situation or need.

Crap Test Criteria

Currency: The timeliness of the information.

• When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?
• Are the links functional?

 

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.

• Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
• Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?

 

Authority: The source of the information.

• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
• Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
• Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?
• Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? examples: .com .edu .gov .org .net

 

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.

• Where does the information come from?
• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Has the information been reviewed?
• Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
• Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
• Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?

 

Purpose: The reason the information exists.

• What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?
• Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
• Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
• Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?

Directions for the Research Assignment

• Use the CRAAP Test to help you locate at least one credible article from Google.
• Read and annotate this article.
• Open a Word or Google document, and list the following information about the article in your document:

Article from Google

1. Author of the article:

2. Title of the article:

3. Three quotations from the article that you might use in Essay 3 (quote and cite the quotations):

• a.
• b.
• c.