Standards Covered SPI Evaluate the validity of Web pages as sources of information. SPI Differentiate between primary and secondary sources SPI Evaluate the reliability and credibili8ty of sources for use in research CC 10.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question.

Have you ever wanted to find out information about something? Maybe you want to know the latest gossip about your favorite celebrity, or maybe you have a project due for Biology and you need to know where to find facts about Photosynthesis.

How will you find this information? Will you simply Google it? Use Bing or some other search engine? Will you go to the library? Will you look it up on YouTube? What’s the library?

But how can you be sure the information you find is true? Ummmm…. ??? I don’t know. How do I know if it’s true?

You have to use RELIABLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION!! !

Okay, so what sources are reliable?

I’m so glad you asked! Let’s start with the 3 MAJOR types of sources.

PRIMARY SOURCE 1 ST Type of Source: PRIMARY SOURCE

Think of PRIMARY sources like primary colors. Red Yellow Blue Like the colors, Primary Sources are original. No other sources are like them because they are the first.

So what exactly are Primary Sources?

Primary Sources are: The first of their kind. They have not been altered or tampered with in any way.  Original Material  From the time period involved  Original ideas  Original discoveries  New information

Examples of Primary Sources  Artifacts- historical, cultural, etc.  Non-tampered audio recordings  Interviews  Diary entries  Letters  Newspaper articles written at that time  Non-tampered photographs  Government Records  Original documents- Marriage Licenses, birth & death records, etc…  Works of art  Autobiographies  Non-tampered video recordings

So if I wanted to write a report about my favorite celebrity, where would be the best place to find information?

Well, since PRIMARY SOURCES are the best, try to find personal interviews, video interviews, or legitimate photographs. If the celebrity has written an autobiography about his or her life, that will also be an excellent source of information.

But what if I can’t find any of those types of sources?

Try the 2 nd type of source: SECONDARY SOURCES

What ‘s a SECONDARY SOURCE? Is that like secondary colors? secondary source Yep! Just like secondary colors. A secondary source has been altered, copied, or changed. It’s not original, but it comes from the original.

RedYellow Blue Red Yellow Blue OrangeGreenPurple Orange Green Purple Primary Colors Secondary Colors

Primary Source - Original Secondary Source- Copy or altered source

What exactly are secondary sources?  Interpretations and evaluations of primary sources  Someone else’s opinion about a primary source  Discussion of the evidence

Examples of Secondary Sources:  Biographies- Books written about people by other people  Commentaries, Criticisms  History Books  Some Journal Articles  Some Magazine and Newspaper Articles

So if I can only find secondary sources for my celebrity report, what are some of the best ones to use?

I would look for biographies written about your celebrity. You could also find websites that end in :.edu;.gov;.org These websites are more reliable than.com or.net Finally, you might even be able to use certain magazine articles ( as long as the magazine is reputable.

But what if I still can’t find any of those types of sources?

Try the 3 rd type of source: TERTIARY SOURCES

? What’s a tertiary source?

Tertiary Sources are:  A collection of information  Information that has been distilled and used by many different sources.

Examples of Tertiary Sources:  Almanacs  Bibliographies (also secondary)  Dictionaries, Encyclopedias  Fact Books  Guidebooks  Wikipedia  Most Google websites  Manuals  Textbooks  Magazines  Most internet sites.

Out of these Tertiary sources, which ones are the most reliable and trustworthy? Most fact books, dictionaries, and encyclopedias, and most textbooks are reliable. If you can, stay away from internet websites that end in.COM or.NET

Why are tertiary sources not as reliable as primary sources?

Tertiary Sources are not as reliable because they have distilled information that comes from many other sources that can’t always be trusted.

When is it alright to simply “Google” information? When you are looking up information for your own personal use. When you need a quick reference for simple facts or opinions.

When is it NOT alright to simply “Google” information? For school projects, papers, or research. When you are trying to find reliable facts in order to prove a point. If you are trying to find TRUE information to teach others about a topic.