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Writing 101: Preventing Pandemics

LibGuide for Writing 101 Students

Science & Engineering Librarian

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Deric Hardy
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Day 1: Google

Writing 101: Preventing Pandemics
"A group of doctors in lab coats and face masks are seated around a conference table," generated by OpenAI's Dall-E3, February 26, 2025

 

Goal: Find information about the public health response to your assigned epidemic.

What is Google Search

  • Google Search is the most widely used search engine on the internet, designed to help users find information quickly and easily.

How Google Search Works

Google uses it's own algorithms to analyze and rank websites based on how relevant they are to your search query

Some of the factors mentioned to impact search rank are the following:

  • Keywords

Google examines keywords and their intent and matches keywords in webpage content

  • Relevance

How well content on a webpage matches a user's search intent and addresses the query.

  • Quality

Takes into consideration, (1) Credibility of Source, (2) Depth of Content, (3) Originality, and (4) Engagement.

  • Usability

A focus is on (1) How fast a page loads, (2) Ease of navigation, (3) Accessibility, and interactive elements

Context:

Searching Google

Searching Google with Keywords

 

  • Enter your research topic keywords ebolapublic health, and response in to the Google search box.
  • Then click "Google Search"

Sources Found Through Google

Identify Sources Returned From a Google Search

  • A Google search can produce a wide variety of sources, including the following:
    • Educational Websites
    • Government Websites
    • News Outlets
    • Non-Profit Organizations
    • Commercial Websites
    • Blogs and Personal Websites
  • Because of the vast many types of sources, evaluating each source is necessary to critically evaluate the source of information for credibility, even if it is a scholarly source.

Determine the Credibility of a Source

Use the following method to evaluate the credibility of any source found through searching Google.

Less Than Credible Information Sources on Google

Not All Information Is Created Equal: Less Credible Google Sources

However, not all information on Google is reliable. Anyone can publish information online, and not all websites follow rigorous standards for accuracy, objectivity, or thorough fact-checking. Popular sources are not considered credible, but, may lead you to credible sources. For example, a Wikipedia entry with valid references.

Types of Credible Sources - Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources

5. Understand Which Source Types Are Considered Credible

Below is a table listing the many reliable sources that you can use for your epidemic research.

Primary

A source that provides first hand account or direct evidence

  • Peer-Reviewed Articles
  • Government Health Reports
  • Official Press Releases
  • Official Records
  • First-hand Accounts
  • Interviews                                

Secondary

         Interprets, analyzes, or summarizes                             primary sources                         

  • Academic Review Articles
  • Health Policy Analyses
  • Policy Briefs
  • Case Studies
  • Data Summaries
  • Commentaries
  • Editorials

Tertiary

Information that is gathered from primary and secondary sources to provide an overview

  • Dictionaries
  • Encyclopedia
  • Chronologies
  • Timelines
  • Handbooks
  • Textbooks

Types of Credible Sources - Grey Literature Sources

The Categories of Grey Literature

Grey literature sources are important for researching epidemics because they often include up-to-date reports, government documents, organizational and industry-produced reports that are not typically published through traditional commercial channels.

  • "In the table below, credibility starts highest with 'Governmental' Grey Literature on the left and decreases to 'Community-Based' Grey Literature on the right."

Credible Producers of Grey Literature

Governmental Academic Organizational Industry Community-Based
  • Departments
  • Agencies
  • Legislature
  • Public Health 
  • Research Institutes
  • Associations
  •  Conferences
  • Researchers
  • Universities
  • Healthcare
  • Pharmaceutical Companies
  • Intergovernmental Agencies
  • Non-governmental Agencies
  • Policy Institutes
  • Professional Associations
  • Think Tanks
  • Community Health Centers
  • Faith-based Organizations
  • Grassroots Organizations
  • Local Health Departments

Source Types

  • Policy Documents
  • Technical Reports
  • White Papers

Source Types

  • Theses & Dissertations
  • Conference Proceedings
  • Research Reports

   Source Types

  • Market Research
  • Technical Manuals
  • Reports

Source Types

  • Annual Reports
  • Strategic Plans
  • Internal Memos

Source Types

  • Community Reports
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Newsletters
  • Policy Briefs