Library Class and Subject Guides: English 271W- Technical Communication : Access Recommended Free Sites

Core Web Sites

CompPile
An inventory of publications in writing studies, including post-secondary composition, rhetoric, technical writing, ESL, and discourse analysis.
Plain Language
Plain language (also called Plain English) is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Language that is plain to one set of readers may not be plain to others. Written material is in plain language if your audience can:
•Find what they need;
•Understand what they find; and
•Use what they find to meet their needs.
Society for Technical Communication
The Society for Technical Communication is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of technical communication. Technical communicators research and create information about technical processes or products directed to a targeted audience through various forms of media.
Usability Body of Knowledge
The Usability Body of Knowledge is dedicated to creating a living reference that represents the collective knowledge of the usability profession. Method, design, managing UX.

Source Credibility Presentation: CABLE

The CABLES and CABLE activities are no longer being updated and will be retired in Summer 2025. Watch for new content about assessing source credibility and authority in Fall 2025.

There are many things to consider when trying to discern if a source is reliable or not. Use the presentation below to learn more about assessing a source's credibility using the CABLE method. CABLE stands for Currency, Authority, Bias, Level, and Exploration.

CABLE Source Credibility Downloadable Slides
CABLE Presentation Text Version
CABLE Source Evaluation Form
A worksheet to help you evaluate sources using the CABLE method.

Finding Articles & More Using Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a great tool to find articles, but it includes fee-based websites. Through Library Services you have three options to access the full article content and bypass paywalls.

Click our Google Scholar link, which is also found on our Databases A-Z page. This link will verify your access through your StarID. You will need to return to this link whenever you open a new browser.
Change your Library Links setting in Google Scholar. Your browser will remember these settings until you clear your cache.

With options 1 and 2, your Google Scholar results will include links such as ViewIt@MNSU and, after clicking the double arrow icon, GetIt@MNSU. These links will connect you to our library to access the item.

Install the Libkey Nomad browser extension. When you click on titles in the Google search results, LibKey adds access links into the publisher's page. LibKey will add these links to webpages until you uninstall the extension from your browser.