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The research process on the Extended Essay: Relevance

This guide explains the steps of the research process to support the process of inquiry of the IB Diploma Extended Essay

The CRAAP Test

Audience, ca 1930 - Britannica ImageQuestRelevance:  The importance of the information for your needs
Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
Who is the intended audience? 
 Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?

Using SIS's Destiny Discover to Find Relevant Web Sites

WebPath Express, a collection of more than 85,000 trustworthy, relevant websites, is part of the SIS library catalog.  You can search WebPath Express using Destiny Discover.

WebPath sites are vetted (screened) by Follett's librarians for accuracy and reliability, and  more than 1,200 new sites are added every month!  Every web site in a search results list gives a summary of what's on the site or specific page, the grade level range (6-8, 9-12), subject covered, and the link.  When you search the SIS catalog, results will include both our print resources and sites in the WebPath Express collection. 

The results in a Destiny Discover are shown in five tabs:  All, Books, Digital (eBooks), Databases, and Open Educational Resources.  Click on the Databases tab, then the 'Show Resources' button to the right of the WebPath Express icon.  Here's an example of Destiny Discover results after a search on the term 'dogs'.

Destiny Discover database search results tab

Find books, digital resources (ebooks), WebPath Express websites, and Open Educational Resources (OER) on Destiny Discover.

Is the Information Relevant?

You will usually find a huge number of resources on a subject but they will only be useful if they are relevant to the particular topic you are studying.

If, for example, you are do a web search using the terms ""astronomical observatories" and "Mauna Kea"you may come across the two sites shown in the links below.  Which of these sites would be at an appropriate level for a research project?

Singapore International School Library & Media Center email: librarian@sisindia.net