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When searching for articles a good rule of thumb is to search in at least three different databases. Results, display, and search features differ from database to database so you may miss critical articles if you use just one. In addition to using Gordon Library's Summon Search, Google Scholar or Google Advanced search, you will likely want to look at discipline specific resources.
This video tutorial provides instructions on searching WPI Library databases and on obtaining full-text articles, when available.
When you find a new source of information (such as an online article, a news story, a scholarly journal article, or a book), ask yourself the following questions about the source:
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Who? |
Who is the author, editor, or publisher? What are their qualifications? |
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What? |
What type of document is it? For example, is it a newspaper article? A blog? A government website? A scholarly article? A book? What is it about? There is no 'bad' type of document, but some have gone through a more rigorous review process than others. Is the document appropriate for the type of research you are doing? Is the document relevant for your research? |
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When? |
When was this source published? Is the information up-to-date? |
| Where? |
Where did you find the source? A library database? A website? For websites, who is responsible for the content? |
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Why? |
What was the goal of the author or publisher? Are there any conflicts of interest? |
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How? |
How did the author gather data and information? Did the author include citations? Did the author conduct research himself/herself? Did the author derive reasonable conclusions from the research? |
The answers to these questions will help you to answer the big picture questions about the source: