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Resources for Urban Educators: Home

Brush up on simple and advanced searching techniques for finding books, articles, and more in the library. Also learn about tools that will help you master library resources as well as hone hardcore googling skills.

Tips!

How we consume information is the first step in activism!

Think about where you get information on a day-to-day basis. Is it biased? In a bubble? From social media? As information consumers, we have power in how we learn about current events and political issues!

First steps in researching:

Write down or think about key words & about the type of source you want to find. Is there a dream source? Then start searching.

Urban Resources

Advanced Searcing

Google can offer you, the researcher, a lot more than a simple results list based on a keyword search.

The basic Google search assumes AND between each word.

  • For example, MDMA ecstasy will find sites with both words.  Use OR if you want either of two terms e.g., MDMA OR ecstasy.
  • Use quotes to search words as a phrase, e.g., "ecstasy effects"
  • Use minus sign to eliminate undesirable words, e.g., MDMA -ecstasy

Use site to find certain types of sites, e.g., site: gov or site: edu

Use filetype to find specific formats, e.g., filtetype: pdf or filetype: doc

Use intitle to find sites where words are in title of the page, e.g., intitle: google search tips
This may help you find more relevant results

Use the advanced search to narrow your results using the above tips and more and get better results!

How to do it: click on the gear on the right side of the results page.

Outside Urban

CRAAP

"Every man should have a built-in automatic crap detector operating inside him." -Ernest Hemingway

Use CRAAP detection to evaluate sources

  • Currency: When was it written?
  • Relevance: Does it answer questions you need answered?
  • Authority: Is the author or creator an expert in the field? Is there an author listed?
  • Accuracy: Is it accurate? Do the authors cite their sources?
  • Purpose: What is the purpose of the site?

Click here for more on CRAAP