Students sometimes struggle finding "good sources."  They might not know where to look for these sources.  Or they might struggle to find the scholarly/peer-reviewed sources they're being asked to use.

The library recommends an instructor be thoughtful and specific when recommending "good sources." 

• What kind of websites would be acceptable (government sites?  Professional organizations?)
• Academic articles in databases can be quite dense.  We recommend you include scholarly books as an option, especially if part of the assignment includes providing background on a broad topic. 
• Even non-scholarly sources can be useful depending on the assignment and the context in which they are used. 

Any source can be useful in the right context.  It's important to understand what the source is, critically appraise it, and apply it in a useful manner.

Types of Sources:
This tutorial explains what we mean when we say primary sources, secondary sources, and scholarly sources.  It explains the contexts under which each can be used.
Link: https://view.genial.ly/5fd02cfb3e90f80d0ff7b12d

If you'd like to embed the tutorial, please contact the library for an embed code. 

Students will often start searching for sources on Google because they don't understand library databases.  An instructor can help students who are beginners by suggesting databases that might be of assistance.  

You can find a list of our databases on our webpage with brief explanations of each database.  

For tutorials, please consult our self-service guide. 
Each database includes various tutorials.  You may elect to include a tutorial in your Moodle course if you feel a particular database is more relevant.  If you have questions about whether or not one database or another is better for your assignment, contact the library.  

Tutorials
These tutorials guide searchers on how to find research.

1. Finding Research
   This covers how to use databases and includes video tutorials for all of our databases.
   LINK: https://view.genial.ly/62101b90670ce20018000cdb
2. Developing A Strategy
   Tackling a database can seem less scary if one goes in with a search strategy.  
   LINK: https://view.genial.ly/6247825afb467a0018a7d374

The following resources provide guidelines on evaluating sources. 

The ABCDs of website evaluation can be applied to any source, even print material.  

An understanding of the hierarchy of evidence is not a replacement for evaluating the research you find.  Here are some sheets that ask questions to help you evaluate the quality of the evidence you find.