{"id":2242,"date":"2015-10-01T09:00:14","date_gmt":"2015-10-01T16:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/toefl\/?p=2242"},"modified":"2020-12-10T13:45:09","modified_gmt":"2020-12-10T21:45:09","slug":"how-to-find-valid-sources-for-your-research-papers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/toefl\/how-to-find-valid-sources-for-your-research-papers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Valid Sources for Your Research Papers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Priyanka recently posted some advice on graduate research. If you are doing grad research now or may want to in the future, I definitely recommend Priyanka\u2019s blog entry<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But even if you\u2019re just an undergrad, it\u2019s important to develop good academic research skills. Writing academic essays as an undergrad is your chance to learn the most important research skill: identifying and gathering valid, proven information. This skill is really the key to all research\u2014 whether you are doing your own experiments or just looking for good writings on your subject, universities expect you to find information that is valid<\/em>. This research skill also helps you develop critical thinking skills, which are very valuable not just in grad school, but also in the workplace\u2026 and in life.<\/p>\n

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What does \u201cvalid\u201d mean anyway?<\/h2>\n

If you just asked yourself that question, don\u2019t feel bad\u2014I have had many of my own university students ask me that over the years. The answer is simple: a source is valid if you can make an intelligent argument that the information in the source can be trusted.<\/p>\n

In other words, if someone\u2014such as a professor\u2014doubts that a source for your essay is true, you\u2019ll have to defend<\/em> your source. So your next question probably is \u201cHow<\/em> do I defend a source if my professor criticizes it?\u201d \u00a0Read on\u2026<\/p>\n

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Signs that a source is probably valid<\/h2>\n

Arguing to defend your choice of sources can seem scary at first. Fortunately, there are several clues that a source may be valid. If your sources have these signs of validity, it will be easy to convince people that your sources are trustworthy. And if your source has enough signs of validity, your professors probably won\u2019t even make you defend it at all.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the key signs:<\/p>\n