Sometimes research assignments seem daunting. Having the right tools makes it much easier.  This page is loaded with useful information to help you be successful.

Feel free to visit the DRHS library for assistance! We will help you figure it out :)  

When seeking information from a news outlet, try to utilize sources that are within the green boxed out area of the chart to help ensure the most fair, non-biased look at your topic.

Click the link below to view an interactive version of the chart.

Interactive Media Bias Chart 

Need to verify the legitimacy of a website? 

Follow the C.R.A.A.P. test criteria below to ensure online sources are legitimate.

C.R.A.A.P. TEST  Evaluating Research Sources

Currency

• How recent is the information?
• Can you locate a date when the page/article was written/created/updated? 

Reliability 

• What kind of information is included in the website?
• Is the information balanced or biased? Does the author use "in my opinion" or "I think"?
• Does the author provide references for quotations and data?
• If there are links, do they work and do they lead to legitimate sites?

Authority

• Can you determine who the author/creator is? 
• Is there a way to contact them?
• What are their credentials (education, affiliation, experience, etc.)? Are they credible?
• Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site, if any?

Accuracy

• Can you verify the site's information through other reputable sites/sources? (check at least two others)
• Are there misspellings or grammatical errors?
• What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)? (remember: .edu and .gov are the only two that are most trusted)

Purpose

• Why does the website exist (to inform, persuade, to sell you something)?
• Are there ads on the website? How do they relate to the topic being covered (e.g., an ad for ammunition next to an article about firearms legislation)?
• Is the information presented in an impartial (neutral) manner?

DID YOU KNOW?

On the Destiny Discover homepage (click on the Access Destiny widget on the library main webpage) are links to state sponsored databases like EBSCO that will connect you to legitimate sources for your research. Databases are warehouses of vetted, reliable articles/journals/newspaper publications and the databases provide citations for the sources as well.  It's a win-win to use them :) 

To access the databases from school devices, there is no login or password needed, however, to access them from home, you will need the logins/passwords.  Just ask the librarian and they will give you those :)