Criteria to always keep in mind when evaluating information. These criteria can be applied to both online and print resources.
Who wrote it? What are their credentials or affiliations?
Who is it written for? What kind of language is used?
What is the purpose? To inform? Sell? Sway your opinion?
Is the information presented objectively?
When was it published or written?
How relevant is it to your topic?
Is the information either too specific or too general for your purposes?
Concept maps are tools that help you brainstorm ideas, focus your topic, and identify possible keywords to create search strategies. Use a concept map to:
Brainstorm (in Spanish and English):
Time period
Names (personal names, groups, etc.)
Geography
Key ideas
Relationships
Synonyms
Censorship
Children's rights
Disappeared persons
Drug trafficking
Economic development
Education
Emigration
Freedom of the press
Free trade
Health
Human rights
Human rights violations
Human trafficking
Indigenous peoples
MERCOSUR
NAFTA
Oppression
Political persecution
Political violence
Poverty
Religious freedom
Reproductive rights
Slavery
State-sponsored terrorism
Torture
Truth Commissions
Women's rights