A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking Sixth Edition CHAPTER 9: Finding Credible Sources in Print and Online Copyright © 2019 Bedford/St. Martin's. All rights reserved.

Use a Library Portal to Access Credible Sources Electronic entry point into library’s holdings Resources selected by trained professionals Reliable and credible information Part of the deep web Inaccessible by search engines

Typical Resources Found on Library Portals Full-text databases General reference works Books and monographs Archives and special collections Digital collections Video collections

Recognize Propaganda, Misinformation, and Disinformation (1 of 2) Data presented in an understandable context Example: vital signs Propaganda Information presented to provoke a response Example: military posters encouraging enlistment

Recognize Propaganda, Misinformation, and Disinformation (2 of 2) Something that is not true Example: urban legends Disinformation Deliberate falsification of information Example: doctored photographs

Investigate a Mix of Primary and Secondary Sources Primary sources Provide firsthand account or direct evidence Secondary sources Provide analysis or commentary Not directly observed or created

Explore Primary Sources: Consider Personal Knowledge and Experience Sharing personal experiences can increase authenticity and credibility. Personal knowledge can play a small or large role in your speech, depending on how directly involved you are in your topic.

Explore Primary Sources: Access Digital Collections Most libraries have digital collections that include the following: Oral histories Letters Newspapers Photographs

Explore Primary Sources: Conduct Interviews (1 of 4) Prepare questions in advance. Word questions carefully. Avoid vague questions. Avoid leading questions. Aim to create neutral questions.

Explore Primary Sources: Conduct Interviews (2 of 4) Establish a spirit of collaboration. Express respect for the interviewee’s expertise. Summarize your topic and informational needs. State a reasonable goal. Establish a time limit.

Explore Primary Sources: Conduct Interviews (3 of 4) Use active listening strategies. Don’t break in. Don’t interject with leading comments. Paraphrase the interviewee’s answers where appropriate. Seek clarification when necessary.

Explore Primary Sources: Conduct Interviews (4 of 4) End by rechecking and confirming. Check that your topics were covered. Positively summarize what you learned. Offer to send the interviewee the results.

Explore Primary Sources: Distribute Surveys Conduct surveys. Tool for investigating audience attitudes Primary source material Effective source for topics focused on the attitudes and behaviors of people in your immediate environment

Explore Secondary Sources Most likely secondary sources Books, newspapers, periodicals, government publications Reference works (encyclopedias, almanacs, etc.) Internet sources (blogs, social news sites)

Wikipedia Material on Wikipedia is unreliable. Anyone can edit Wikipedia at any time. You can use Wikipedia as a jumping-off point for further research – as long as you evaluate the credibility of articles to which it links. Never cite Wikipedia as a source in your speech.

Blogs and Social News Sites These sites can be unreliable. You should only cite blogs and social news sites that are affiliated with reputable organizations.

Evaluating Web Pages (1 of 3) Seek out the most reliable websites on the topic. Examine the domain of the web address. The suffix at the end of the address that tells you the nature of the site. Examples: government (.gov), education (.edu), military (.mil), business/commercial (.com)

Evaluating Web Pages (2 of 3) Tilde (~) in the address indicates a personal page. Check the date when the page was placed on the web. See if current. Websites without dates may contain outdated or inaccurate material.

Evaluating Web Pages (3 of 3) Check for trustworthy sources. Verify the information found with at least two other independent, reputable sources.