DGD 212: Intro to Communication Design II: Research Process

When conducting research, you need to use reputable sources. Books and databases provided by the Library are a great starting point - you know that the information they contain is going to be reliable (see the "Books & Databases" tab). Sometimes, though, you may be researching a designer for whom there are no published books or peer-reviewed articles (i.e. sources you would find via the Library). Expanding your research to include the internet as a whole can be useful.

While not everything on the internet is reliable, a lot of sources are still valuable. Consider using:

• The creator's own website (primary source)
• Museum or gallery websites (likely secondary source)
• Organizational websites (for design firms, etc.) (primary or secondary source)
• Interviews (primary source)
• Sites known for presenting faithful images of the creator's work (images are primary sources):
  • AdAge
  • AdForum
  • Ads of the World
  • The One Club

When conducting research, it is important to keep track of where information comes from. This can be as simple as keeping a document with the title of the source and your notes on how it's relevant to your research.

Make sure to restate what the source is saying (in writing or visually). If you copy and paste an image or use the exact words in your notes without indicating it's a direct quote, you run the risk of using that information in your project without properly attributing it and committing accidental plagiarism.

Not all of the information on the internet is reliable. Some things to think about: 

• Who is the author? Do they have a background or education in the topic?
• Where is it published? Is the site reputable?
• Does it cite its sources? Information isn't created in a vacuum; does it acknowledge others' research?
• How in-depth is the information? Is it well written?
• Can you detect a bias in the writing? What is that bias?
• When was it written? Does the age of the information make a difference in how accurate it is?

While sources for images do not have to be scholarly, visuals found via Google should be inspected critically for signs of editing or alteration.

Aside from the reliability of the image itself, look at the information provided about the image - is it accurate? Does it have all the elements it should, or is any information missing (i.e. date of creation, etc.)?