Effective Research Strategies

The process of carefully examining the source's purpose and whether it directly addresses your research question.

The source's intended audience plays a crucial role in determining its purpose and content.

The currency of a source refers to its timeliness and whether the information it provides is up-to-date.

The source's relevance is assessed by examining how well it directly answers your research question and contributes to your research argument.

The process of identifying potential biases and inconsistencies in a source.

Involves using multiple sources to verify information and identify potential biases.

The source's credibility refers to the author's expertise and the publisher's reputation in the field.

The process of synthesizing your findings from evaluating multiple sources to determine their overall reliability and usefulness.

The process of finding information that is accurate and relevant to your research.

Identifying different types of sources, such as scholarly articles, books, websites, and primary sources, based on their intended purpose and format.

A primary source is the original record or artifact created during a particular event or time period, offering direct insights into a specific historical moment. Examples include diaries, letters, photographs, and original scientific research.

Secondary sources analyze and interpret primary sources, offering a less direct view of the event but provide broader context and analysis. Examples include history books, critical reviews, and biographies.

Tertiary sources compile information from primary and secondary sources, providing summaries and overviews. Examples include encyclopedias, textbooks, and dictionaries.

Peer-reviewed articles are rigorously examined by other experts in the field before publication, ensuring high-quality and reliable research. They are crucial for academic research as they provide evidence-based findings.

Preprint servers are platforms where researchers can share their work before formal peer review, offering potential for faster dissemination of research. However, it's essential to note that they have limitations in terms of accuracy, verification, and may not represent final conclusions.

Political bias occurs when information is presented to favor or oppose specific political positions, potentially distorting the truth by selectively presenting facts or highlighting certain figures.

Commercial bias happens when content prioritizes generating revenue over accuracy, leading to sensationalized headlines, clickbait tactics, and excessive advertising.

Ideological bias arises when content aligns with a specific agenda, shaping information to support certain views while ignoring or downplaying opposing perspectives.

Fact-checking involves verifying and cross-referencing information from multiple credible sources to ensure accuracy and avoid biases.

Currency refers to the timeliness of information, ensuring it's up-to-date and relevant. Check publication dates and consider whether the information is still valid in the current context.