Which print sources to use and how to find them.

          Everyone at one point or another has wanted to find a source and knew it was out there but no matter how much you look you can't find it. This brings about the question: what type of search engine is one using? Is it a meta-data search or a full text search? One first, has to realize what these two types are before one can decide how to search while using them. A full text search is a search in which the search looks through all the pieces of work and tries to find that word in the text of the document. Normally it will give results in the order in which the search word or phrase occurs most. The disadvantage to this method is that it cannot recognize synonyms, homonyms, different spellings of the same word; however, in saying this it will allow a good start to a search. It is the most common type of research engine, therefore we are most common and comfortable with it. Meta-data search engines use the data within the document to group like sources together. This engine is most easily accessible in library data bases because they tag the sources with meta-data. This search is best to search particular areas of a research field once it is narrowed down. Although both of these types of searches offer advantages and disadvantage, they are best used in conjunction with one and another- all the while knowing the weakness of each.
          Once one gets the sources that one thinks is what one was looking for one has to be able to know if it is credible. The easy way to determine credibility is the CRAAP Test: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose. To discover currency or the timeliness of the information, one should ask: When was the info published? Posted? Updated? How current does it need to be? To determine relevance or importance of the information one should ask: How relate to your topic? Appropriate level? Other sources agree? For authority or source of the info ask: who is the author? Publisher? Quality? For accuracy or the reliability of the source ask: what are they citing? Reviewed info? Unbiased? And finally purpose or reason the info exist ask: why was it made? Purpose clear? Factual? Biases?
          By using both research engines and the CRAAP test you will be able to find resources that are reliable and usable in your paper

Cody