Search methods & techniques: Google vs library resources - Essay Example

Discussion Question I usually look for sources in the Internet or through electronic databases that I can access through the net. I avoid borrowing book sources from the library whenever possible, because carrying the required textbook is already a tremendous burden. Moreover, I have access to the Questia Online Library. It contains more books than the University Library. I always use it whenever I write papers requiring published books. But if I really like to read a book on paper and not through the computer, either I borrow it at the library, borrow from a friend who owns one, or buy it myself preferably online.

I believe sources are reliable when the author is qualified to write it. Either he is educated in that field or has relevant experience. For example, Dr. Howard Gardner is qualified to write a book on Psychology because he is a psychologist by training and education. He also contributed big time to the field of Psychology. Consider also that the late Dr. Maxwell Maltz was a plastic surgeon, but he wrote books on the psychology of a person’s self-image since it is as aspect touched in his work.

Whenever he performs plastic surgery, either his client’s self-image improves or remains the same. Sources can be deemed credible if the information contained there make sense. Perhaps, the proper use of jargon and technical words indicates thorough knowledge of the subject. It is necessary for an expert to be precise so that terms are well stipulated and avoid misunderstanding. So, the researcher should be wary of the level of language used in a particular source. That would be indicative whether one is reliable or not.

Discussion Question 2:o Blog: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=1622In general, blogs are unreliable sources. Any person can write anything in a blog without necessarily having the qualification to state his or her opinion about a topic in an entry. Exceptions to this rule of thumb would be experts who want to publish an opinion immediately with going to the process of peer review or editorial review. For this particular blog, this is fairly acceptable and reliable. The author has relevant experience in politics as a journalist.

Although, I will try to find his opinion elsewhere in more reliable sources such as books or journal articles before using this.o Wiki site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment#Public_opinion In a similar argument with blogs, Wiki sites should not be used as sources. Wiki sites, however, can be useful in the start of the research by priming the researcher into the basics of an issue. If there are sources footnoted, the researcher could look into them and cite those instead. They are probably more reliable than the Wiki article.

o Web site: http://www1bpt.bridgeport.edu/~darmri/capital.html The reliability of a website varies. Some websites are useful as sources because articles there are posted by experts. For this source, the article in question has posted a research paper on death penalty. However, the author is a Computer Science major. This is bad if you are talking about reliability of sources needed for your own research paper.o University Library article: http://www.apollolibrary.com/Library/ERR/goerr.aspx?frmCourse=1598&frmWeek=2 The article in question is written by someone with a law degree and published in a law journal.

Peer reviewed journal articles should always be used. The information there is comparable to those found in highly technical books. Of the four sample articles on capital punishment, this is the most reliable.