Evaluating and Organizing Credible Resources

This week we learned how to evaluate information for credibility, and then organize the information into a format that makes it easier for the audience to understand.

When evaluating information, you must check for accuracy, and that the information is verifiable. My son is studying to be a reporter, and he and I are amazed at how many news articles are unconfirmed and inaccurate.  If you cannot affirm the information is factual, then the information is useless. Checking the qualifications of the author can help you determine the validity of the information. Authors should be experts in the field, and should be evaluated by a group of their peers. I am quite proficient in checking and re-checking my information to guarantee it is accurate and usable.

             Organization is key to presenting information in a way that looks professional and people will understand. APA format is the way I have been asked to present my information. It is a clean presentation, and easy to understand. However, it can sometimes be confusing to put the information into this format. I think this is my biggest weakness when it comes to organizing papers. I also struggle with layout when presenting graphics within a document. I don’t understand why, but my charts and graphs do not always appear in the finished product the way I designed them. 

            

Boolean Operators & Other Helpful Tools to Aid in Research

This week I learned a great deal about how to search for information. Google has several great tutorials on how to search the web.  I am constantly doing research, and these tips will save me a lot of time. I have chosen a few to discuss below, but I think they are all beneficial, and all students should check them out.

            First let’s look at Boolean Operators. These are symbols or words that can broaden or narrow the search as needed. I knew of the basic ones, “and” “or,” and “not.” What I did not know is there are several symbols that can also affect your search results. These shortcuts help save time and energy.  

One of the biggest time savers I learned is Keywords. I always thought that to get the best results, you needed to use complete sentences. I know a lot of people make the same mistake I have made in the past. A few key words are all it takes to get accurate results. Also, capitalization and punctuation are unnecessary.

            Google has a feature that allows you to search for a specific media type. If you want to use only news sources, then you search through the news media type. If you want to include a video source, you can search through the videos to find the one you are looking for.

            These are some of the information that was knew to me. I learned a lot of great pointers to make my research time more efficient. I highly recommend these tutorials to anyone who wants to learn how to find information quicker and easier. I've included a link to some of these tutorials below.

References:

Google. (n.d.). Basic Search Education Lesson Plans. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/gwebsearcheducation/lessonplans

Google. (n.d.). Understanding Search Engines: What Is The Web? Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_1fqxzphfm

Google. (n.d.). Understanding Search Engines: Google Landing. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_3g56xgggb 

Google. (n.d.). Understanding Search Engines: The Keys To Search City.  Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_6ggcb3ncb 

Google. (n.d.). Search Techniques & Strategies: Which Link Should I Follow? Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_9tqwd32gb 

Google. (n.d.). Search Techniques & Strategies: Mixed Media. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_0hmqhsvdz 

Google. (n.d.). Search Techniques & Strategies: Believe It or Not. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_13cgb55gj9 

Google. (n.d.). Features & Operators: Hello Operators. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_15cd6mwkfm

Google. (n.d.). Features & Operators: Quick Finds. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_17scdcf4fd 

Google. (n.d.). Features & Operators: Slicing & Dicing. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dcbsfbvq_19ch9gxvgc

Steps for Effective Research

When I started my class on research, I thought it would be easy. I have been doing research projects for years, so this should be no problem. Boy was I wrong. There are so many resources that I never even thought of looking for. I think I need a lot of work if I am going to become a more effective researcher.

Step one is to determine the purpose and the audience of the piece. I don’t always worry about the purpose. When writing about controversial issues, I often write about what side I am on, and only briefly mention the opposing side. The problem, to be effective, I need to cover both sides of the issue in depth. Formatting can also be a problem for me. I am just learning the different formats, and sometimes, I make mistakes. Luckily, there are instructional videos and websites that I can use to perfect the formatting.

Step two is creating a research strategy for the project at hand. I start with an outline, and use the internet to find resources. I thought I was effective in this area, but I seem to be lacking. The purpose of a research strategy is to “avoid wasting time and wandering aimlessly through the massive amounts of information available” (Solomon & Taylor, 2012, pg.24).  I tend to wander quite a bit when researching. I need to be more focused in my searches.

Step three is my evaluating information. This is one area I am good at. I always check my information for accuracy and relevance. My son is studying journalism, and we have discussed the importance of fact checking when writing anything. I do sometimes forget to check for bias, so I do need to work on that. This is the easiest step for me because it has become like second nature to me.

Step four is organization. Once all the information is gathered, it is time to put the paper together. This is where the main ideas of the paragraphs are determined and then put the proper information to support these ideas. I am fairly good at organizing information into proper order so that it makes sense and is orderly.

The final step is communicating the information to others. This is where knowing your audience is important. If you are presenting information in a formal setting, you don’t want the presentation to be informal. You also need to determine how you will present the information. I prefer written, but that is not always the best way to present information. I feel I have a good grasp on communication.

As you can see, I still have a great deal of work to become a great researcher. I am hoping I will become more efficient as I continue my schooling.

References:

Solomon, A., Wilson, G., & Taylor, T. (2012). 100% Information literacy success (2nd ed.). Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.