Library Guides: CPS Online Library and Learning Services: How to Research

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How to Research

Database Search Tips

The BU Library is excited to announce the new look and enhanced features of OneSearch. Please check back for additional tutorial updates!

How to Use Gale Academic OneFile

The BU Library is excited to announce the new look and enhanced features of OneSearch. Please check back for additional tutorial updates!

Scholarly sources are papers written by experts and then reviewed by experts. These papers are evaluated for reliability by assessing if the author has credentials or expertise (an advanced degree or significant professional experience) and if the paper's content is substantial and supported by evidence.

Is this a Good Website?

Sometimes you will find a website with information you would like to use in an assignment. Be sure to ask: is this information reliable? To figure out if it is, apply the SIFT method described below.

Digital Literacy Tutorial
This tutorial shows examples of sources and how you can distinguish reliable and unreliable information.

Website Evaluation Checklist
Use this checklist to see if a website is reliable. A reliable website is not necessarily a peer-reviewed source. The checklist was created by the University of Arizona.

Research Guides

APA Quick Guide A quick guide on how to use APA to avoid plagiarism.
Database Search Tips A guide to help you narrow or broaden your search.
Scholarly Sources A guide to help you identify scholarly sources.
SIFT Method A method for evaluating online resources that goes beyond checklists. Developed by Mike Caulfield in partnership with Washington State University.

Research Tutorial

Research Tutorial

The BU Library is excited to announce the new look and enhanced features of OneSearch. Please check back for additional tutorial updates!

You this Worksheet with the Tutorial.