S3P 2026 +

What we're doing today

STEM databases
Evaluating Sources
LibKey Nomad

SciFinder-n

Chemistry research database
Must register for an account
https://researchguides.swarthmore.edu/scifinder

PubMed

Biomedical literature
National Library of Medicine

Web of Science

Relevance

Is it on topic?
- Search within the article
What are you looking for?
- Background information
- Evidence / exhibits
  - Texts to analyze
- Arguments
  - Other scholars' points that you can critique and build on
- Methods

Quality

Is it scholarly?
- Advantage of using library databases
- Author
  - Author/contributor bios
  - Can look them up
- Publisher
  - _____ University Press
  - Routledge, Springer/Palgrave
Citations
- How often is this article or author cited?

How do you know if a source is any good?

B / E / A / M

Writers rely on background sources, interpret or analyze exhibits, engage arguments, and follow methods.

Bizup (2008)

Exhibit (Evidence)

Background

Writers rely on these sources for general factual information. For instance, a writer could use background information to introduce a setting, situation, or problem in the term paper.

Writers interpret and analyze sources like these in the same way they are used as exhibits and evidence in a museum or a court.

Argument

Writers engage with these sources that they agree with or disagree with. The sources are usually written by scholars in their field.

Method (Model)

Writers follow the key terms, concepts, or manner of working that are explained in these sources.