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Rather than putting a full sentence into an online search box, it can be more productive to focus your topic down into a few search words. To combine them, follow these search tips:
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Email reference is available Monday through Friday during the Fall and Spring semesters. We try to respond within two days.
Chat with the library 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to meet with a librarian for in-depth help with your research.
In general, we recommend searching CCSF Library resources first, because they contain material that is not freely available on the open web. However, there is lots material on the open web that is not in the library! Therefore, combining these efforts (searching library resources, and then searching the open web) can be effective.
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You can trust these websites for accurate health information
| P | Purpose: How and why the source was created. |
Why does the information exist? Why was it published in this format? Who is the audience? |
| R | Relevance: The value of the source for your needs. |
Is it appropriate? How useful is it? How detailed is it? |
| O | Objectivity: The reasonableness and completeness of the information. |
Is the information presented thoroughly and professionally? Do they use strong language? Does the source present fact or opinion? |
| V | Verifiability: The accuracy and truthfulness of the information. |
Do the authors use factual evidence? What do experts say about the topic? Are there errors (in spelling, grammar)? |
| E | Expertise: The authority of the authors and the source. |
Why do you trust the author? Has the item been checked (editor or peer review)?
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| N | Newness: The age of the information. |
Does it require current information, or can information be found in older sources? When was the information first published? Are there newer sources available? |
P.R.O.V.E.N. Source Evaluation by Ellen Carey (6/18/18) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.