How to Do Research for Middle and High School Students

When looking for research material, finding trustworthy sources can be difficult. You must evaluate the credibility and accuracy of each source. You will want to determine the kind of resources you will need, where these sources are located and how you will determine their reliability.

​How do I start determining what kind of information I need for my research?

Searching topics in different sources - video from North Carolina University Libraries

Searching online - overview with tips from Purdue University Online Writing Lab

Types of sources - listing from Purdue University Online Writing Lab

Identifying primary and secondary sources - listing from Santiago Canyon College

In-depth guide on resources (advanced research) - source types from Northcentral University Library

Kentucky Virtual Library collection for high school students - includes primary sources, encyclopedias, journal and magazine articles (choose a database first)

Credible resources to use - guide from Common Sense Education

Popular vs scholarly resources - a quick quiz from University of Kentucky Libraries

Evaluating sources for credibility - video from North Carolina State University Libraries

Evaluating sources - video from Stanford University Libraries

Considering your source - guide from Northcentral University Library

Evaluating different source types (books, websites and more) - multiple guides from Colorado State University Libraries

RADAR framework for evaluating sources - handout from Loyola Marymount University

Evaluating sources checklist - quick checklist from the MLA Style Center

Evaluating websites - video from Hartness Library of the Community College of Vermont and Vermont Technical College