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Computer Science & Information Technology Overview

Guide created to support research in computer science and information technology at TCC

Background Information

You might need to learn a little bit more about your topic before you really start researching it.

Gathering some background information can help you: 

  • Become more familiar with your topic
  • Identify keywords you can use for searching
  • Think of ways you can refine and focus your topic

Choosing Quality Sources

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Evaluate Your Sources! 

Remember to always evaluate all your sources! You want to make sure you are picking high quality, credible sources. Reviewing your sources using the C.A.A.R.P. guidelines will help you evaluate the currency, authority, accuracy, relevance, and purpose of the information you find.  

C.A.A.R.P. TEST
DOES THIS RESOURCE SMELL A LITTLE FISHY?

Picking the right sources is a key step to creating a high-quality research paper or presentation. Choosing resources is easier when you evaluate them with the C.A.A.R.P. guidelines.

Currency:
Currency guidelines vary depending on the topic. A literary analysis from five years ago may still be relevant, but a science research article published at the same time may be out of date.
  • When was the information written or posted?
  • Has the information been revised or reposted?
  • Is this resource timely for your topic?
  • Are there newer resources that are more appropriate?
Authority:
Authority is contextual. A good author for one topic may not be an expert in a different topic.
  • Who is responsible for this information? Is there an identified person or organization?
  • Is the author an expert on this particular topic?
  • What are the author’s qualifications and affiliations?
  • Can you independently verify (e.g., do an internet search) the author’s credentials?
Accuracy:
The information should be correct and verifiable.
  • Does the resource provide citations?
  • Can you verify the information in the resource from the citations or other sources?
  • Is the resource peer-reviewed?
  • Do the information and tone seem unbiased and free from emotion?
Relevance:
The resource fits your topic and is written to the right audience.
  • Is the information about your topic? Does it support your thesis?
  • Have you looked at a variety of other resources before deciding which ones are the best fit?
  • Who is the intended audience for this resource?
  • Is the resource written at the right level (e.g., the coverage is not too shallow or too in-depth)?
Purpose:
The purpose is the reason the information exists.
  • Is the purpose of the information to inform, teach, entertain, persuade, or sell?
  • Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
  • Is the information objective or biased?
These guidelines have been adapted from the Meriam Library at California State University.

Start Here

Where do I start?

Computational Science by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Image Credit: “Computational Science” by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – PNNL is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Start with your Assignment

Read over your assignment and make sure you understand what it is you need to do. See if you can answer the following questions:

  • What is the assignment? Are you creating a presentation? Are you writing an essay? If so, what type of essay (descriptive, cause-effect, etc.)?  
  • Did your instructor provide a topic or do you have to come up with one yourself? 
  • What types of works (journal articles, books, etc.) can you use as sources and how many sources do you need? 
  • What style do you need to use to cite your sources?

Choose a Topic

If you are picking your own topic, you might get ideas from:

  • Class materials or discussions
  • Current events or news
  • Topics you are interested in

Check your assignment to see if there are any guidelines related to what your topic can be. Check with your instructor if you have questions about whether a certain topic is acceptable for an assignment. 

Identify Keywords

When choosing keywords to use for searching, think about your topic. What are the main ideas that you are interested in? What words could be used to describe these ideas? 

Example: Perhaps a student is interested in software development. Keywords that could be used include:

  • Code
  • Algorithm
  • Object-Oriented Programming
  • Array
  • Scripting
  • Python, R, and other programming language

These terms are integral to the concepts, tools, and processes involved in software development.

General Search Strategies

Venn diagram showing only the intersecting part of two overlapping circles shaded in

Results only include those with both of your keywords.

Example: 

Security AND privacy

Venn diagram with intersecting and non-intersecting parts shaded in

Results include those with either one or both of your keywords.

Example: 

"Artificial Intelligence" OR "Human Computer Interaction" 

Venn diagram showing only the non-intersecting part of the first of two overlapping circles shaded in

Results do not include any that have the keyword following NOT.

Example: 

Robotics NOT Coding

quotation marks

Put quotation marks around your keywords to search them as a phrase.

Example: 

"Artificial Intelligence"

asterisk

Known as truncation, using an asterisk at the end of part of your search word will pull different endings, searching for many different keywords at one time.

Example: 

Crypto*