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FY 9900 - DelVal Experience I

Becoming Skeptical Researchers

Disgraced: Scientists, Politicians, and Public Figures

The focus of today’s class is to help you become skeptical researchers.

Information comes from many different sources and it is important to look at where that information is coming from.

It can have a profound effect on your career, both in and out of school.

Defining Good Research

Important Characteristics

  1. Qualified author
  2. Current publication date
  3. References or works cited

Differences between Sources

  Academic Trade Popular
 
Content Original research and experimentation Industry/trade trends, products, and news Current events, opinions, and general information
Look Plain, long articles, may contain charts and graphs Glossy, contains photos and industry/trade related advertisements Glossy, contains color photos and everyday product advertisements
Authors Experts in their field Industry specialists or staff writers Journalists/reporters, staff or freelance writers
Audience Professors, researchers, students Members of the particular industry or trade Anyone
Language Academic and technical Jargon of the industry Written in a language for anyone to understand
Documentation Footnotes or bibliography Occasionally contain cited sources  References may be mentioned in text

Researching a Topic

What is Summon?

Summon is a "Google-like" tool that searches many DelVal databases (and the book catalog) simultaneously.  This single-search option is a nice time saver, and it often uncovers resources that you might otherwise have overlooked. You'll get lots of results, so take advantage of the limiter options on the left side of the results screen.