DoAssignment study guide

A1.3 · Locate relevant research sources

Learn to locate relevant research sources through clear examples and targeted practice.

Ontario Grade 10 Science

Scientific Investigation and Careers

A Grade 10 guide to locating information that fits a science question

In science, finding information is not the same as collecting the most links. The goal is to locate research sources that can help answer a particular question. A research source is a place where information has been gathered and shared, such as a science organization’s webpage, a report, or an article. A relevant source is one that directly connects to the question you are investigating.

You already use this skill when you decide which facts help with a school assignment. For example, a page about weather in general may not answer a question about how local rainfall has changed. This lesson focuses on choosing search terms, finding possible sources, and checking whether they fit your question.

What you will learn

Turn a science topic into a focused search question.
Choose search words that match the question.
Locate and compare sources that are relevant to the question.
Explain why a source is useful and note limits in what it covers.

1. Begin with a focused question

A broad topic can lead to many unrelated results. Start by turning the topic into a question that names what you want to find out. For example, “climate” is a topic, but “How has the number of very hot days in my region changed over time?” is a more focused question.

A focused question helps you decide what information to search for. In this example, the useful details are the region, hot days, and change over time. Search words are the important words you use to look for information. They should reflect those details.

Some questions ask for a place, a time period, or a comparison. Include those details when they matter. If you do not know the right search words yet, begin with the main topic and refine the search as you learn more.

Write the question before searching.
Identify the main ideas and details in the question.
Use search words that match those ideas.

2. Look for sources that fit

A search may return many results. A result is only a possible source; it is not automatically useful. Open or examine a result and ask whether it addresses the question directly.

Check who or what produced the information. A government science department, a research organization, a school or museum science resource, and an individual post may have different purposes and levels of detail. The name of the source does not prove that every statement is correct, but it helps you decide what to examine next.

Check the scope of the source. Scope means what the source covers. Does it discuss the right place, topic, and time period? A source about global temperatures may offer background, but it may not answer a question about a particular town. A source about a different environmental issue may use similar words but still be off topic.

Look for signs that help you judge the information’s usefulness. These include a clear author or organization, a date, explanations of where information came from, and details that match your question. If an important detail is missing, record that limitation rather than assuming the source answers everything.

Treat each result as a candidate to check.
Compare the source’s topic, place, and time period with the question.
Notice who produced the information and what details or limits are shown.

3. Refine searches and compare results

If the first search is too broad, add a specific term such as a location or time period. If it returns too little, remove a less important detail or try a related word. Changing search words is a way to improve the match between the question and the results.

Compare possible sources using the same simple questions. This makes the choice clearer than relying on a title or a search ranking alone. A source can be useful for one part of a question and not another. For example, one source might explain a general pattern, while another gives information for a particular region.

A short comparison record can help. Write the source name, what it covers, how it connects to the question, and anything it does not cover. This record supports a reasoned choice and makes it easier to return to the source later.

Add or change search words when results do not fit.
Use the same checks for each candidate source.
State what a source helps answer and what it leaves unanswered.

4. Keep the search safe and honest

Use sources for information; do not treat a search result as permission to carry out an activity. Follow your teacher’s instructions and school safety rules for any investigation. Do not try a hazardous activity at home because a webpage describes it.

Keep track of where information came from. Record enough details to find the source again, such as its title, organization or author, and date if shown. Do not present another person’s information as if you collected it yourself.

A source can be relevant without being complete. Explain its connection to your question and identify any important mismatch. This is more accurate than claiming that one source proves an answer it does not address.

Follow teacher directions and school safety rules.
Record source details so the information can be found again.
Be clear about what a source can and cannot answer.

A quick source-fit check

Check	Ask yourself
Topic	Does it address the subject in my question?
Place	Does it cover the area I need?
Time	Does it cover a useful time period?
Source details	Who produced it, and is a date or information source shown?
Limits	What part of my question does it not answer?

Worked example

Example 1: Improve a broad search

A student wants to find information about changes in very hot days in their region. Their first search is “weather.” What should they do to make the search more relevant?

Identify the question’s details
The question is about very hot days, a particular region, and change over time. These details are more useful than the broad word “weather.”
Choose matching search words
The student should combine terms for the subject, place, and time or change. For example, they can search for information about very hot days in the region and how those days have changed.
Check the results
The student should examine whether each result covers the region and the change in hot days. A general weather page may provide background but may not answer the focused question.

Answer: Use a focused search that includes very hot days, the region, and change over time. Then check whether the results cover those details.

Check: The search is more relevant because its terms reflect the question rather than the broader topic alone.

Worked example

Example 2: Choose a source for a local question

A student asks, “What information is available about rainfall changes in my town?” They find a national overview of rainfall and a local report that includes rainfall information for their area. Which source is the better starting point, and what should they check?

Match the location
The local report is the better starting point because the question is about the student’s town. The national overview may still provide broader background.
Check the coverage
The student should check whether the local report actually covers rainfall and whether its time period fits the question. A local title alone does not guarantee that the needed details are included.
Note the limits
If the report covers only some years or does not explain where its information came from, the student should record that limitation. The national overview may help with context but does not replace local information.

Answer: Start with the local report, after checking its topic, area, and time coverage. Use the national overview as background if it helps, and note what each source does not answer.

Check: The local source is a closer match to the location in the question, but it still needs to be checked.

Worked example

Example 3: Compare two candidate sources

A student is looking for information about how local shorelines have changed. Candidate A is a recent page about shoreline change in the student’s area, produced by a regional organization. Candidate B is a detailed article about shorelines in another country. Which source is more relevant, and what further check is useful?

Compare the question with each source
Candidate A matches the local area named in the question. Candidate B may explain a related topic, but its location differs, so it is less direct for this local question.
Check what each source covers
The student should check whether Candidate A discusses shoreline change and gives the needed time coverage. They should also look for who produced it and where its information came from.
Use the second source carefully
Candidate B could provide general background, but details from another country may not answer what happened locally. The student should not treat a related source as a direct answer just because it uses similar terms.

Answer: Candidate A is the more relevant starting point because it matches the local area. Check its subject, time coverage, and source details before relying on it.

Check: Relevance depends on the fit with the question, not on how long or detailed a page is.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Choosing the first search result without checking it.

Correction: Treat results as candidates. Check their topic, place, time coverage, and source details.

Using a broad source as if it answered a local question.

Correction: Use broad information for context, but look for a source that directly covers the place asked about.

Assuming that a detailed or recent source must be relevant.

Correction: Check whether its content matches the question. Detail and date alone do not make a source a good fit.

Recording a source without noting its limits.

Correction: Write what it covers and what it does not cover. This keeps your conclusions connected to the information available.

Lesson summary

Turn a broad topic into a focused question.
Choose search words that match the question’s key details.
Check candidate sources for topic, place, time coverage, and source information.
Compare sources and record why they are useful and where their limits are.
Follow teacher directions and keep track of where information came from.

Check your understanding

Question 1

A student wants information about air quality in their city but searches only “environment.” What is the best next step?

Keep using the same search because a broad search finds every useful source.
Add terms for air quality and the city, then check whether results cover both.
Choose the longest result, even if it is about another topic.
Use only the first result shown.

Show answer and explanation

Add terms for air quality and the city, then check whether results cover both.

Adding the topic and location makes the search words fit the question. The student still needs to check the results.

Question 2

A source discusses the correct topic but covers a different region. What should the student do?

Treat it as a direct answer because the topic matches.
Ignore the location difference.
Use it only if useful for background, and look for a source that covers the needed region.
Assume it is local if it is recent.

Show answer and explanation

Use it only if useful for background, and look for a source that covers the needed region.

The source may provide background, but its location does not match the question. A closer local source is needed for a direct answer.

Question 3

Which note best describes a useful source check?

“This page looks convincing.”
“This source covers the topic and town, but its date range does not include the whole period I asked about.”
“This is the first result.”
“It has many details, so it answers everything.”

Show answer and explanation

“This source covers the topic and town, but its date range does not include the whole period I asked about.”

This note identifies both the match and a limit. That makes the source’s usefulness clear without claiming more than it provides.

Key terms

Research source: A place where information has been gathered and shared, such as a report or science organization’s webpage.
Relevant: Closely connected to the question being investigated.
Search words: Important words used to look for information.
Scope: The topic, place, and time period that a source covers.
Candidate source: A possible source that still needs to be checked for fit.

Continue through SNC2D

View the complete SNC2D Ontario Grade 10 Science curriculum and lessons

About this lesson and its review

Published by DoAssignment. This reviewed lesson follows Ontario Grade 10 Science (SNC2D), expectation A1.3. It is a study resource, not an official curriculum publication.

Before publication, content is checked for structure, mathematical or chemical notation, calculations, course boundaries, and readability. Errors can still occur, so corrections are welcomed.

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