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Contact: Julie Leuzinger
Finding Information
Finding reliable information is a process. The first place you may look when seeking answers about your gender identity is the internet to find other members of the transgender community. This is a great place to start!
The purpose of this library resource guide is to support the beginning stages of your research (information from those in your community) with additional information that you can find in the libraries and from health practitioners.
Not everything you learn from your peers, the library, or health practitioners will be right for your situation. Analyzing and evaluating resources is an important part of the research process because it helps you think critically about currency, authority, accuracy, intended audience, biases, and the purpose of information sources. The evaluation criteria below should help you work through that process.
If you need help locating library resources, please contact the Women’s and Gender Studies/LGBTQ Studies Librarian, Julie Leuzinger (she/her/hers).
NOTE: While we have tried to use inclusive language in this guide, if you notice anything that could be improved, please don't hesitate to contact us with suggestions.
Currency: The timeliness of the information
What to look for in books/journals | What to look for in websites |
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Adapted from Penn State University Libraries (2020). Evaluating Information Rubric. Retrieved at https://libraries.psu.edu/research/how/evaluating-information-rubric
Authority: The source of the information
What to look for in books/journals | What to look for in websites |
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Accuracy/Validity: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content
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Audience: The group the resource was created for
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Point of View/Bias: The information leans toward a specific perspective
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Purpose: The reason the information exists
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