Skip to Main Content

     

RAMS 101 - Johnson

Welcome

Link to this guide: libguides.framingham.edu/johnson-RAMS101

 

Welcome to the guide for your RAMS 101 course!

This guide contains resources that will be helpful for the research project in your class.

Source Activity

In your group, review your assigned source and decide if your source is scholarly or popular. For a refresher on what scholarly vs. popular literature is, check out the tab in the left-hand column of this guide.

Finding sources with library resources

EBSCO Search Box

Ram Search

Search for articles, books, journals, and more!

Finding Sources on the Open Web

Searching Google

There are many search strategies you can use to search Google more efficiently.

1. site: command

You can search a particular news source through google by using the site: command. See the screenshot below with how to use the site: command.

Screenshot of google search box with "chagas disease site:npr.org" written in the search box.

 

2. Limiting by date

It is possible to limit by date when searching google!

Screenshot of google search results screen with "toosl" and "anytime" options highlighted.

From your search results, click the "Tools" button. This will show two drop-down menus "Any time" and "All results". Select the "Any time menu to select a particular time frame.

Evaluating Sources

CARS

CARS is a checklist for evaluating websites

C - Credibility

  • Is the creator/author named? What is their job? Are they a researcher, journalist, or something else?

A - Accuracy

  • Is the website free of spelling errors, grammatical errors, dead links, or other problems?
  • Does the article have a publication date? Does the publication date align with the requirements for your assignment?

R - Reasonableness

  • Who created the website?
  • Does the website avoid advertising that does not seem appropriate?

S - Support

  • Is there a bibliography or sources listed? In journalistic content this can look like naming sources and hyperlinks.