1. Mr. Jarot
English

2. What is the purpose of research
What is the purpose of research? Why is this an important skill to both practice and learn?

3. Credible Sources sources that readers can trust
the author’s ideas are his or her own
can be backed up with evidence

4. Reliability of Sources
Look for sites from established institutions
Look for sites created by people with expertise
Avoid commercial sites that end in .com
Beware of bias
Check the date of content. Is it recent?
Examine the site’s look and features
Avoid anonymous authors whenever possible
Check and evaluate available links
Ex. Hitchcock gave the thriller genre his own personal touch and was one of the key directors during the Golden Age of Hollywood. (“Film Directors” 1)

5. Bias
a tendency to favor one person, group, thing, or point of view over another, often in an unfair way
can involve a personal opinion or a more public opinion, such as a news story, that only presents facts related to one point of view

6. Examples Involving Bias
How could a professional athlete or coach be biased regarding concussions?
How could a public school teacher be biased regarding education?
How could a professional musician be biased regarding funding for the arts?

7. Evaluating Sources: Topic/Subject
This involves the general topic, content, and ideas contained in the text.
What is this article or research piece about in 1-2 words?

8. Evaluating Sources: Claim
What is the author of the articles arguing? What is he or she trying to prove?

9. Evaluating Sources: Purpose
What is the purpose of the text? Is it informative, persuasive, or entertaining? What does the speaker, writer, or author want the audience to do, feel, think, or choose?

10. Evaluating Sources: Tone
Is the tone of the piece positive or negative? Hopeful or critical? Lighthearted or serious? Playful or ironic?
What choice of words (diction), inclusion of details, and language help you to determine the speaker’s tone?

11. Source Citations
A source WITH an author: (Author’s last name ** space ** page number) Sample source: Ebert, Roger. The Great Movies. New York: Broadway Books, Citation: (Ebert 1)

12. Source Citations Contd.
A source WITHOUT an author:
(“Significant word or two from title of source” ** space ** page number)
Sample source:
“Alfred Hitchcock.” [Online] St. James Encyclopedia of Popular
Culture. Available 7 April
2017.
Citation:
(“Alfred” 1)