How do I evaluate my sources?
Not all information is equally valuable. Any information should be carefully examined
to determine its usefulness and quality.
1. Evaluating Web Sites
2. Evaluating Articles and Books
- Authority
- -What are the author's credentials, educational background,
experience, past writings? Check
Marquis Who's Who Online or other biographical sources.
- -Is the author's name cited in other sources or
bibliographies? Respected authors are cited frequently by
other scholars.
- Date of Publication
-
-Is currency important to your research?
- -If so, when was the source published?
- Topics in the sciences and business often demand current
information. Topics in the humanities may require older
material.
- Objectivity
- -Is the information supported by facts and evidence, or is it
someone's opinion?
- Accuracy and Quality of Content
- -Can the information be verified by other sources?
- -How does the information compare with other sources?
- -If it is a book, what do book reviewers have to say?
For additional help, see: