Guides

Ask a question and check the sources behind the answer

A student or staff member learns to check an answer before relying on it. Every answer in Campus Answers lists the approved sources it used, with a link to each source.

Follow these steps in order

Work through the five steps on the Ask screen. The same steps work in the website widget for a public question.

  1. Step 1: Open Ask and choose an assistant

    Open Ask and choose the assistant for the job, such as Admissions and financial aid, IT help desk, or Student services. Check the welcome text. It names your college and the approved sources the assistant can use.

  2. Step 2: Type the question in plain words and read the answer

    Type the question the way you would say it to a person at the office. Read the short answer first. You do not need a special form of words. If the wording is unclear, ask the question again with one extra detail, such as the term or the office you mean.

  3. Step 3: Open each source link and read the source date

    Open every source link under the answer. Check that the source title matches the answer and read the source date and last checked date. A source from another college, or a source past its review date, should not be used in a new answer.

  4. Step 4: Rate the answer helpful or not helpful

    Mark the answer helpful or not helpful. If you add a comment, say in plain words what was missing or unclear. Leave out personal details. The rating helps staff review the answer and improve the source.

  5. Step 5: If the answer does not fit, choose the handoff office

    If the answer does not fit your question, choose the handoff office named on the answer screen. That office receives your question and the sources that were tried, so you do not need to repeat them. Use Hand off to an office for the next steps.

What a careful check looks like

Read the answer and the sources together. The answer is only as strong as the sources under it.

  • The answer lists at least one approved source with a working link
  • The source title matches the point used in the answer
  • The source date is recent enough for the question you asked
  • The answer says plainly when no approved source covers the question
  • A handoff office is named when an answer is not known
Question: When is the add deadline Last day to add a class for the term is shown in the answer below. Source 1 College calendar page Last checked date shown Source 2 Admissions office page Review date shown Example only. Open each link and read the source before you rely on the answer.

Ready to ask

Sign in to ask a personal question, or use the widget on a college website for a public question.

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