QUALITY sources are often found easily in books and databases. At the junior / senior level, at least one database article and one book is expected.

Check out these relevant guides:

• Criteria for Evaluating Information
• Types of Sources
• Quality Web Sources
• Sample Evaluative Annotations

Evaluating web sites is basically the same as evaluating any information, but there are a few things additional things to watch out for.

Quality Web Sources GUIDE

Sign up for a complimentary pass to the New York Times. (Account needs to be re-activated every year.)

Search directly or through Google, by putting in "New York Times" and your subject.

If you need to collect statistical information to argue a point, the BUSINESS RESOURCES GUIDE will refer you to quality web sources with reliable data.

Pew Research Center

Specifically, the Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.

Refer to the full list of research guides for addtional resources by subject and discipline.

The Library's physical collections focus on art and design. For broader topics, look for e-books:

Or use one of the many other Los Angeles-area libraries available to the Otis Community:

NOTE: Many of the databases will create citations automatically so that you don't need to create it yourself. It's a real time saver!

Full list of research databases