Tutorials

Students are often expected to build strong arguments in their research. But what does an instructor mean when they ask that of their students? What does a strong argument actually look like? This video draws on strategies from philosophy, critical thinking, and learning theory to help students use research to build stronger arguments in their writing.

Instructors often ask students to engage more deeply with sources when doing research and writing. But what does that mean, exactly? This video draws on educational psychology and instructional design theory to give students concrete strategies for engaging deeply and meaningfully with sources by asking “Essential questions” about the readings.

NOTE: This tutorial needs updating. It currently only works on the Firefox browser. We apologize for the inconvenience. You may also consult a similar tutorial authored by our colleagues at the Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University: https://whhlreference.lmu.build/tutorials/EvaluatingInfo/story.html

Not all sources are created equal! This tutorial covers the basics of how to tell if a source is appropriate for your assignment and research need.

Learn how to identify a peer-reviewed article.

This tutorial explains what Archival Silences are, how to identify and address them in your research.

Learn about the information lifecycle and different types of information sources.

Welcome to Part 3 of the STEMM Research Workshop Series. The Critical Research Process will introduce strategies for evaluating sources based on specific criteria and teach you how to critically appraising research articles.

When you search in the USC Libraries, you may notice a filter on the left-hand side that says “Peer-Reviewed Journals.” And assignments often require you to use peer-reviewed, or scholarly, sources. What does this mean, and why would you use this filter? That’s what we’ll cover in this tutorial.