• Academic Vocabulary

    Database 

    • A digital collection of scholarly and credible content (articles, books, media) that can be easily searched and accessed online.

    Scholarly Sources

    • Written by experts in the field and are found in databases (Explora, Points of View).  Preferred sources for research papers, especially at the college level.
    • Sources include magazines, academic journals, primary sources, and books. 
    • Students should avoid selecting articles that are in academic journals (primarily used by AP/college students) due to advanced reading level.
      • Advantages
        • Can trust the author and the information contained in the article.
        • MLA citation is automatically created and only needs to be copy/pasted.
      • Disadvantages
        • Database search features may be confusing to students.
        • Reading level may be too difficult for students.

    Credible Sources

    • Can trust the information that the source provides based on the authority of the person, publisher, or institution that is providing this information.
    • There should not be any bias in the content, unless the research requires opposing viewpoints or perspectives. 
    • Websites that are .edu or .gov are credible sources of information, as well as most news websites.
    • Websites that contain .org in their URL should be analyzed as many organizations have an agenda or viewpoint that would represent bias information contained on their website.  However, if the research requires differing perspectives, .org websites may be a credible source of information. 
    • Wikipedia is never considered a credible source for a research paper and should never be listed on the Works Cited page.
      • Advantages
        • Easy to search for and locate.
        • Reading level is appropriate for high school students. 
      • Disadvantages
        • Must analyze credibility of the author/publisher.  
          • Authority     Bias      Currency      Documentation
        • Students have to create their MLA citation.  Go to Chrome Web Store and add Cite This For Me extension to help with citation creation for websites.  

     Bitmoji Suggested Resources

    Question Bitmoji Email Mrs. Helms for questions about finding resources.