Science Guide

Unlike journal articles, scholarly books:

• Are written on a broader, general subject
• May contain a collection of related chapters by different authors
• Contain less recent information

Remember: you may only need to read one chapter of a scholarly book!

How to find ebooks in OneSearch results:

• At the top of the results page, click on All filters.
• Click on the arrow by Source type and check eBooks.
• Click on Apply filters.

How to find ebooks in the NAU Library databases:

In the left column of your search results page for OneSearch or a database:

• Limit by full text
• Limit by source type - Books
• Use the slide to limit by publication date

Use the questions on the Questions to Ask When Determining Credibility of Sources handout to help you determine the credibility of websites and videos. Check the information by comparing several sites or videos on the same topic. Take a few facts from one article and confirm or disprove them with another credible source (Stebbins, 2015, pp. 22-23). Use the fact-checking websites on the News tab.

Useful tip: Government and military websites, whose URLs end in .gov, .mil, .state.us, or .state.gov, can be credible sources of information. For more tips about using information from websites, watch the short NAU video in the left column.

Stebbins, L.F. (2015). Finding Reliable Information Online. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Websites and videos recommended by the NAU faculty and librarian:

Avoid using Editorials or Letters to the Editor from print or online newspapers. These articles are "opinion pieces" and the authors may lack subject expertise.

Use these reliable fact-checking and bias-checking websites for news articles and websites:

• FactCheck.org (politics)

• Snopes (urban legends, hoaxes, folklore, memes, and rumors)   

• Climate Feedback (climate change)

• AFP (choose news, world regions, topics - health, environment, science, politics)   

• MediaBias/Fact Check (analyzes news and other website bias and contains a list of questionable sources).
   
• AllSides (reviews how the same news story is covered across the political spectrum - from the left, the center, and the right).

Credible Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social media posts of "first-hand" accounts of current happenings, such as political rallies, strikes, protest, and entertainment events may be used as primary sources. These sources are analyzed by you, the writer (Coleman, 2013, p.60). Social media should not be used as expert analyses or interpretations to support your argument.  

Sources:

Auraria Library (n.d.). Social media as a primary source. https://guides.auraria.edu/
       c.php?g=323480&p=2863867

Coleman, V. (2013, November/December). Social media as a primary source: A coming of age.
       Educause Review, 48(6), 60-61. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2013/12/
       social-media-as-a-primary-source-a-coming-of-age