Credible+Sources

1. Wikipedia is a great **starting place** for a research project… …but should not be used as a citation in an academic paper or project.

Even Wikipedia admits it’s not a credible source! Go here: Wikipedia on Academic Use

2. Google, and other popular search engines, can be great for research. However, as the internet evolves, it is becoming easier for **noncredible sources** to appear **credible and professional**. Also, most search engine companies will not reveal **how they find search results or how the results are ordered**.

So where //should// we look for research?

1. **Databases**
 * These are some of the best tools for doing research. They contain studies and articles from **journals** and **academic publications**. They can also be **discipline-specific**, which leads to more accurate results.
 * How do we access these?
 * **School libraries** usually have the widest selection and best access, although many **public libraries** provide access to the best-known databases. All Michigan residents have access to selected databases through **mel.org**, the Michigan eLibrary.
 * Why are these so great?
 * Databases often include **new and current material**, and the contents are searchable by many fields, such as **date, author, keywords, and peer-review status**.

2. **Libraries**
 * **Librarians** are a wonderful, under-used, and sometimes unknown resource. Not only can they help find credible sources, they can help you **direct your research**, **formulate your argument**, and **properly cite your research**.
 * Many **library websites** have an online catalog to help you **quickly find print sources**.

3. There are ways to use **search engines like Google** effectively for research.
 * **Advanced search** helps narrow and refine results.
 * **Google Scholar**is a more scholarly search engine. The results include **scholarly articles**, but many of them may not be accessible without **a subscription**. If you use this, look for results with **full text**.

Questions to ask yourself when trying to determine the credibility of a source:
 * How did I find this source?
 * Is the source a primary or secondary source? Don't know the difference? Click here!
 * How recently was it written?
 * Who wrote the source? What motivation could be behind the argument(s) presented?
 * Who is the publisher?