I am once again looking for credible resources...I need a resource for the political,social, economic, and familial conventions(norms) or statuses of Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban-Americans, and Colombian-Americans. I have tried google and the only thing it brings up is places that write my paper for me
Try this while I post other ideas for you:
http://scholar.google.com
You may have to search and research, but once you learn some good sources and methods, you should have success. In addition to searching on the Internet, you also need to make best friends with the reference librarian(s) in your local or college library. Libraries these days subscribe to enormous research databases, and they are often more useful than Internet searches. Ask your librarian if you have access to EBSCOHost -- it has several databases within it, including a huge one for academic research.
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For Internet searching:
http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/
At this webpage, you can go immediately to the search sites (first three columns across the top) -- or even better you can scroll down until you see the section called HOW TO SEARCH THE INTERNET. Those are the links to start with. You'll not only learn how to come up with good search terms, but also how to evaluate the webpages you get as results. Some will be good and others will be garbage. You need to know how to tell the difference.
My favorite way to search is to go to Google's advanced search page http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en and put my search words or phrases into the first or second search box (either "all the words" or "exact phrase"). Another is to start out at http://scholar.google.com. However, there many other strategies for searching you can use, and the HOW TO SEARCH THE INTERNET section will help you best.
Learning to use Google or other search engines can save you time and help you learn to find information efficiently. Here are some websites that can teach you how:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html
http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/searchtips.html
http://www.pandia.com/goalgetter/index.html
http://websearch.about.com/mbody.htm?once=true&COB=home&PM=112_100_T
... and one to help you judge whether a particular website's information is worth your time:
http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/evaluate.html
When you've tried searches with Google and Yahoo, don't forget this one:
Bing.com
Sra
When searching for credible resources on the political, social, economic, and familial conventions or statuses of specific ethnic groups, it can sometimes be challenging to find relevant and trustworthy information. Here are a few steps you can take to find credible resources for your research:
1. Start with academic databases: Use academic databases like JSTOR, ProQuest, and Google Scholar to search for scholarly articles, books, and research papers that discuss the political, social, economic, and familial conventions of the specific ethnic groups you are interested in. These databases often provide high-quality and reliable information.
2. Utilize cultural center websites: Look for websites of cultural centers and organizations that focus on Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban-Americans, and Colombian-Americans. These centers often publish valuable resources, research papers, and reports related to the specific ethnic groups you are researching.
3. Check university websites: Universities often house research centers, departments, or institutes dedicated to studying various ethnic groups and their norms. Explore the websites of universities known for their expertise in ethnic studies or Latin American studies. These websites might have publications, reports, or research studies pertaining to Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban-Americans, and Colombian-Americans.
4. Consult peer-reviewed journals: Peer-reviewed journals are considered reliable sources of information since they undergo a rigorous process of review by experts. Look for journals in the fields of sociology, anthropology, Latino studies, or ethnic studies that might have published articles relevant to your research topics.
5. Checkout government publications: Government sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Justice, and other similar government entities often publish reports, statistics, and studies focusing on various ethnic groups' social, economic, and political conventions.
Remember, it's important to critically evaluate the sources you find. Consider factors such as the author's credentials, publication date, peer review process, bias, and relevance to your research topic.
By employing these strategies, you should be able to find credible resources that discuss the political, social, economic, and familial conventions or statuses of Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban-Americans, and Colombian-Americans.