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

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.

How to Use Google Scholar Off-Campus

If you are using Google Scholar off campus, change your settings to link to our library holdings.

Click here to access Google Scholar's settings
Select Library Links to the left
Search for Minnesota State University Mankato
Check all options for Minnesota State University Mankato
Press the Save button
Conduct your search in Google Scholar
If you cannot access the articles by clicking on the title, click the "View It @ My Library" or the double arrow icon and the "Get it @ MNSU" links.
You may be asked to enter your StarID username and password to access the article
If the article is still not found, use Interlibrary Loan to have the library get the article for you.