Buying a Used Car -- Planning
When researching any topic, consider the following questions:
1. Authority: Can you trust the author? What are his or her credentials?
2. Objectivity: Is the author’s purpose clearly stated? Does the work provide factual, or biased information?
3. Accuracy: Are the author’s facts correct? Are the opinions supported by data? Is there evidence of good research and documentation?
4. Completeness: How completely and deeply does the writing cover the topic?
5. Currency: Is the date of publication given? Is the information current enough for your topic?
Research Success @ Your Library, TDSB
Considering these questions will help you to find a high-quality information source.
What would you like to know about a car before you buy it?
1. Previous owners
2. Repair history
3. Crash ratings
4. Reliability
5. Handling
6. ?
Think about why someone would write about cars. Their articles, websites, books, blog postings, etc. may aim to:
1. Sell a car
2. Complete an assignment
3. Describe a hobby or interest
4. Provide unbiased information about research findings
If you are in the market to buy a car, which of these sources would provide the factual information you need to make an informed buying decision?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What car(s) are you interested in researching? (Keep in mind that popular models of the last twenty years are easier to research).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Now you’re ready to start.
1. Visit http://www.spectrumlibrary.com
2. Click on the Red Rectangle (CPI.Q)
3. Click ‘Proceed’
4. Click ‘Advanced Search’
5. Next to ‘Keyword’, type in the name of your car (no dates, i.e. ‘Toyota Corolla’)
6. Next to ‘Document Type’, select ‘Product/Service Evaluation’
7. Next to ‘Publication Title’, type in ‘Consumer Reports’
8. Click ‘Search’
9. Choose the .pdf format
10. Print or save your articles. You may need more than one article to find all of your information.
11. Look at the articles and charts to find information about your car.
12. Open ‘Inspiration’ (yellow icon on your desktop) and create a ‘web’ with the following information about your car:
a. List Price
b. Performance
c. Predictability and reliability. If 5 is the best score and 1 is the worst, what rating does your car receive?
d. Do the same for Accident Avoidance
e. Fuel Economy (miles per litre or gallon)
f. Based on your research, what are the two best aspects of your vehicle?
g. What are the two worst aspects of your vehicle?
h. List two cars with a better rating and two cars with a poorer rating.
i. Is this car Recommended by Consumer Reports? Does it have a check mark next to it?
j. What issue of Consumer Reports is your information from? Look at the bottom of the page.
k. Include a photo of your car
l. Knowing all of this information, would you purchase this car? Why or why not?
If you are finished…
Try some of the formatting options in Inspiration
Check out the car manufacturer’s website. What information do they provide you with? You can try the ‘build a car’ feature if they offer it.
1. Authority: Can you trust the author? What are his or her credentials?
2. Objectivity: Is the author’s purpose clearly stated? Does the work provide factual, or biased information?
3. Accuracy: Are the author’s facts correct? Are the opinions supported by data? Is there evidence of good research and documentation?
4. Completeness: How completely and deeply does the writing cover the topic?
5. Currency: Is the date of publication given? Is the information current enough for your topic?
Research Success @ Your Library, TDSB
Considering these questions will help you to find a high-quality information source.
What would you like to know about a car before you buy it?
1. Previous owners
2. Repair history
3. Crash ratings
4. Reliability
5. Handling
6. ?
Think about why someone would write about cars. Their articles, websites, books, blog postings, etc. may aim to:
1. Sell a car
2. Complete an assignment
3. Describe a hobby or interest
4. Provide unbiased information about research findings
If you are in the market to buy a car, which of these sources would provide the factual information you need to make an informed buying decision?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What car(s) are you interested in researching? (Keep in mind that popular models of the last twenty years are easier to research).
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Now you’re ready to start.
1. Visit http://www.spectrumlibrary.com
2. Click on the Red Rectangle (CPI.Q)
3. Click ‘Proceed’
4. Click ‘Advanced Search’
5. Next to ‘Keyword’, type in the name of your car (no dates, i.e. ‘Toyota Corolla’)
6. Next to ‘Document Type’, select ‘Product/Service Evaluation’
7. Next to ‘Publication Title’, type in ‘Consumer Reports’
8. Click ‘Search’
9. Choose the .pdf format
10. Print or save your articles. You may need more than one article to find all of your information.
11. Look at the articles and charts to find information about your car.
12. Open ‘Inspiration’ (yellow icon on your desktop) and create a ‘web’ with the following information about your car:
a. List Price
b. Performance
c. Predictability and reliability. If 5 is the best score and 1 is the worst, what rating does your car receive?
d. Do the same for Accident Avoidance
e. Fuel Economy (miles per litre or gallon)
f. Based on your research, what are the two best aspects of your vehicle?
g. What are the two worst aspects of your vehicle?
h. List two cars with a better rating and two cars with a poorer rating.
i. Is this car Recommended by Consumer Reports? Does it have a check mark next to it?
j. What issue of Consumer Reports is your information from? Look at the bottom of the page.
k. Include a photo of your car
l. Knowing all of this information, would you purchase this car? Why or why not?
If you are finished…
Try some of the formatting options in Inspiration
Check out the car manufacturer’s website. What information do they provide you with? You can try the ‘build a car’ feature if they offer it.
