CTLA01: Library Research Guide

Use this website to look for sources for your CTLA01 assignment. Look for resources to support your discussion of your chosen topic.

Take a some time to explore your topic. Consider how you would like to focus your topic and what keywords you might try searching for relevant sources.    

Authority: Can you trust the source?

• Can you identify the author?

• If the author is an individual, what are his or her credentials or other qualifications? Is the author a recognized authority in the relevant field of study?

• If the author is a corporation, government body, or special interest group, what can you find out about the organization?

• What is the domain of the website? Some domains (e.g. .edu, .gov, .gc.ca) indicate that the webpage is hosted by a government or educational institution. These are more likely to provide reliable information. 

Currency: Is the information up to date?

• Are you able to determine when the website or webpage was created? When was the page last updated?

• Is the information time-sensitive? Some types of information go out of date quickly (e.g. medical knowledge).

Purpose: Why was the website/page created?

• Who is the intended audience? Is the information written for an academic or popular audience?

• Is the website/page intended to inform? To persuade? To sell a product?

• Does the author present a balanced view of the topic? Are opposing viewpoints acknowledged?

Content: Is the information that the website/page presents quality academic research?

• Is the website/page organized in a logical and understandable manner?

• Are the author's arguments well-reasoned and supported by sufficient evidence? Can you verify the information elsewhere?

• Does the author cite his or her sources? Are there many citations? Are the materials cited primarily scholarly sources? Are they a mix of primary and secondary sources, or only secondary sources?

From the University of Lethbridge Library

Recommended News Sites

News Databases

How do you know if an article is from a peer-reviewed journal? Some databases allow you to limit your search to peer-reviewed journals. For other databases, you need to look up the title of the journal in Ulrich's Directory. 

1. Go to Ulrich's.

2. Type the JOURNAL TITLE (not the article title) into the search box, and click the green search button. Look for the journal title in your search results.

3. In the search results, look for a referee jersey icon to indicate that a journal is refereed. Refereed means the same as peer reviewed.

4. The Journal of Infectious Diseases is peer reviewed.  

REMEMBER:   It's the journal that's peer reviewed/refereed, so you are looking for the journal title in your search results, NOT the article title.

Citation Help

Questions about citation?  Writing Support is available to help you with citation and writing questions.    Got a quick citation question?     You can also ask for help at the front desk in the Library or Ask Chat with a Librarian.