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Google search engine shortcuts to find credible sources
A shortcut that can save you time finding efficient and reliable sources is to search one of the three phrases below in the google search bar:
1. site:*.gov “keyword”
2. site:*.edu “keyword”
3. site:*.org “keyword”
All you would have to do is replace the word ‘keyword’ with a search term related to the source you are looking for. After you click search, google will present you with results pertaining to the term you used, from credible sites that will either be .gov, .edu, or .org depending on which you choose.
I found out about this shortcut by reading “7 Google Chrome Tips That Will Boost Your Productivity” which includes a lot more helpful google chrome tools. In the article it states, “Generally, it's best to use public databases, peer-reviewed journals, or academic libraries for research. You may also pull out information from professional organizations or government entities. But these sources don't always appear on the first pages of Google search results.” Although in a past college writing course I had been taught to avoid using the .org sources and I advise doing the same. This is because these sources are coming from an organization, meaning it’s highly likely that they will contain biased and unreliable information.
Google extension- Writer
The next google chrome tool is an extension named Writer. This extension has a lot to offer. It corrects all grammar mistakes as well as flags or corrects negative, biased, outdated language. This extension allows you to write quickly and not have to worry about going back through to correct your work, saving a lot of time and boosting productivity. The article “Want to be more productive? These Chrome extensions could help” mentions that the extension allows you to write in a distraction-free zone and also allows you to set writing goals for yourself. This will aid in an increase in productivity as well as efficiency.
Browse your college’s YouTube channel
Have you checked to see if your college has a YouTube channel? The likely answer is no, so I am here to report that most colleges do in fact have a YouTube channel. In my college course, I was recently given a writing workshop video that was on YouTube. I noticed that this YouTube video was uploaded by my college. After further investigation, I learned that their YouTube channel had a lot of valuable tools for students. My college provides a range of helpful videos from academic advising, ways you can get involved, small learning workshops, updates on special events to attend, and much more.
The video that I had watched was “APA Style and Literature Searches - Tom Kluxen” and it is a forty-minute workshop on the APA style of writing. This style of writing is utilized in many college courses and is required for mostly social sciences. The speaker Tom provides a “not-so-quick” as he puts it, a guide to properly format and cite an APA style paper as well as how to find credible sources and provides tips from his first-hand experiences with college students at the writing center. He thoroughly goes over each part of the format, which goes in order starting with the title page, then the abstract page, followed by the body paragraphs, and ending with the references page. He also mentions how Microsoft Word offers templates in the APA format just as google documents does, which is what I normally use. Two pieces of advice that he had provided at the end of his talk that I think are very important to know are:
Writing a paper is not a one-and-done process
Don’t wait until the last minute!
Best of luck boosting your productivity!
Originally published oct 12, 2021
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