For Chat, Text, eMail and to schedule with your subject librarian click on "Schedule Appointment" under Librarian's name in right sidebar or for other general assistance or a consultation with any Librarian, use:
Researching from home? Follow these directions to access our licensed databases and resources from off-campus. Please contact OIT if you need assistance at 949-824-2222.
This class focuses on your career as an Engineering major and allows you to focus on communicating the major issues that you have focused on and and how to jump-start your career in practice as an Engineer or if you continue your graduate education. It introduces you to:
There is an accompanying PowerPoint presentation below that reviews technical communication issues with examples of resources highlighting the forms and formats of engineering literature.
When using Online or Internet Resources, consider Search Engines vs. metasites - evaluate resource - be attentive to domain -may include .com, .edu, .org, .gov, .net
Evaluation of evaluating strategies - there are many different strategies and this guide highlights two, CRAAP and S.I.F.T. and at the end I will also note some other methods - but consider the following criteria:
Applying the CRAAP Test - for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose
https://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf
Goal is to establish relevancy. The evaluation criteria includes these issues:
Scope of coverage
Currency – be able to distinguish currency from timeliness
Relevance – meaningful to what audience; at what level; will you cite it as authoritative?
Authority – stem is author – establishes the source of the information – author/publisher/source/sponsor; organizational affiliations & credentials; contact information
Accuracy – reliability, correctness of content; supported by evidence; is it verifiable; is tone unbiased, objective, impartial & free of emotion; free of errors?
Purpose – are hypotheses and authors’ intentions clear? Why is content important – to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade? Any political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?
Ease of use – Capturing, copying, citing; design & presentation
Another method to evaluate is S.I.F.T - so:
Remember when we cite or quote, we are CHOOSING to bring other voices into our paper or scholarly work.
Let's ask, Why we cite?
Often called Citation Chasing we have the standard two parts:
Think of 5 criteria you use to evaluate information and what questions to you ask yourself to determine relevancy or whether your information need is met?
Things that will make a difference include:
