• synonyms and related terms
• alternate spellings of terms
• subject headings in database records
• making note of new-to-you terms found in sources you’ve already got

You'll pick these up as you

• search a little
• read a little
• search some more
• read a little more
• etc.

Ways to Use Sources

• Background
• Evidence
• Argument
• Method

Scholarly vs. Popular Sources

Expertise and authority of an author

• What do we know about the author?
• Have they written or spoken about this topic before?
• Do they teach at college or university on this topic?
• Are they affiliated with a research institution or agency or think tank?
• What do other authors think of this one?

Click the image above to run this search in your browser

• Use quotation marks around a phrase such as "academic integrity"
• Group similar words/concepts like college or university in their own box and put OR in between them
• Put dissimilar words or concepts in separate boxes

Databases to Search In

Discussion: what are some ways we can evaluate the authority of a source?