VEATNIGLUA

RESSOUC
EVALUATING
SOURCES
Evaluating the Source

Inquiring about the Author

What are the author's credentials, such
as, institutional affiliation [where he or
she works], educational background,
past writings, or experience? Is the book
or article written on a topic in the
author's area of expertise?
How do I evaluate Sources?
What is a Scholary Source?

Scholarly sources (also referred to as

academic, peer-reviewed, or refereed) are
written by experts in a particular field and
serve to keep others interested in that field
up to date on the most recent research,
findings, and news. These resources will
provide the most substantial informatin for
your research and papers.
Tips on Evaluating Sources
Additional Tips for Evaluating Specific Source
Types
Books

Look at the publication date. Is the

information current enough for your
purposes?
Look at where the book was published. If
published at a University Press or U.S.
Government Printing Office, that could be an
indicator of scholary content
Articles

Is biographical information for the author

provided?
Who is the publisher?
How frequently is the perodical published?
How many and what kinds of
advertisements are present? For example, is
the advertising clearly geared toward
readers ina specific discipline or
occupation?
Web Pages

What is the domain of the web page? (e.g., com, .net,

.gov)
Who is publishing or sponsoring the page?
Strip back the URL to discover the source of the page.
Is contact information for the author/publisher provided?
How recently ws the page updated?
Be particularly wary fo bias when viewing web pages.
Anyone can create a web page about any topic. You must
verify the validity of the information.
Points to Remember
Both magazine and journal articles can
be good sources for your work.
When selecting articles, think about
how you intend to use the information.
Do you want background on a topic
new to you? (use a magazine)
Did your teacher say to cite scholarly
resources? (use journals)
Often a combination of the two will be
msot appropriate for undergraduate
Has your instructor mentioned this author?
Have you seen the author's name cited in
other sources or bibliographies? Is the
author associated with a reputable
institution or organization? What are the
basic values or goals of that organization or
institution?
Currency: the timeliness of the information

How recent is the information?

Can you locate a date when the page(s)
were written/created/updated?
Based on your topic, is the information
current enough?
Reliability: importance of the information

What kind of information is included in the Web

site?
Is the content primarily fact, or opinion? Is the
information balanced, or biased?
Does the author provide references for
quotations and data?
If there are links, do they work?
Authority: the source of the information

Can you determine who the author/creator is? is

there a way to contact them?
What are their credentials (education, affiliation,
experience, etc.)?
Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site? Are they
reputable?
Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of
the information

Is it accurate? Is it supported by evidence?

Is the information balanced or biased?
Was it peer-reviewed?
Can you verify the information from another reliable
source?
Are there spelling, grammar, or typographical errors?
Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a
way to contact them?
Purpose: the reason the information exists

What's the intent of the Web site (to persuade, to sell

you something, etc.)?
What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)?
Are there ads on the Web site?
How do they relate to the topic being covered (e.g., an
ad for ammunition next to an article about firearms
legislation)?
Is the author presenting fact, or opinion? Who might
benefit from a reader believing this Web site?
Based on the writing style, who is the intended
audience?
Purpose: the reason the information exists

What's the intent of the Web site (to persuade,

to sell you something, etc.)?
What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)?
Are there ads on the Web site?
How do they relate to the topic being covered
(e.g., an ad for ammunition next to an article
about firearms legislation)?
Is the author presenting fact, or opinion? Who
might benefit from a reader believing this Web
site?
Based on the writing style, who is the intended
audience?
Relevance. You want to make sure that your source is
relevant to your research project or paper. Relevance
depends largely on CONTENT. Careful reading and
note-taking are the best ways to determine a
source's appropriateness for your topic.Aug
Locating Sources
Locating Sources
Relevant sources are sources that are
current and applicable to your topic.
Reliable sources are objective (as
opposed to biased), documented
(sources are cited), and scholarly
(written by an expert).
In this way, the reader can confirm whether the
information is accurate or the author's conclusions
reasonable. A page without references still may be
useful as an example of the ideas of an individual,
organization, or business, but not as source of
factual information
Evaluating information sources is a important part of
the research process. Not all information is reliable or
true, nor will all information be suitable for your paper
or project. Print and Internet sources vary widely in
their authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and
coverage.
AUTHORITY

The confident quality of someone

who knows a lot about something
or who is respected or obeyed by
other people
1. Authority

a) Is it clear who is responsible for the contents of the

page?

WHY IMPORTANT? - It is critical to relate the ideas you

find at a site to a particular author, organization, or
business. In this way, there is a degree of accountability
for any of the ideas expressed. Once the individual or
organization responsible for the content is known, you
can then begin to look at other clues to help you
ascertain credibility, such as credentials and reputation.
Be especially wary of sites in which the author or
sponsoring organization is not clearly stated.
 In author's qualification. Which of the
following week you see research regarding on
Harry Potter?

A. Rowling, J. K., author. Harry Potter And the

Sorcerer's Stone. New York :Arthur A. Levine Books,
1998.

B. Harry Potter and the

Sorcerer's
2. Accuracy

a) Are the sources for factual information clearly listed

so they can be verified in another source?

WHY IMPORTANT? - A source of information is known to

be scholarly when it provides references to the
information presented. In this way, the reader can
confirm whether the information is accurate or the
author's conclusions reasonable. A page without
references still may be useful as an example of the ideas
of an individual, organization, or business, but not as
source of factual information.
Which of these sources would you use for
research for the Facts of reading?

A.Reading is the complex cognitive process of

decoding symbols to derive meaning.

B.Many people perceive reading as an introverted

hobby, for the feeble, anti-social.

C.Reading boosts analytical thinking

For example, in writing a position paper on gun
control, you may want to compare the extreme pro-
gun position of the National Rifle Association, with
that of the anti-gun organization Cease Fire or a
more balanced report published by an independent
think tank site (such as the Brookings Institute).
Regardless, you will want to know if the information
is biased or not in order to make appropriate
decisions on how to use it
. Objectivity

a) Does the content appear to contain

any evidence of bias?

WHY IMPORTANT? - If the content

contains bias, only one point of view is
being presented. This may not be bad
depending on your needs.
helping each child and young person attain
educational achievement to the best of their
potential. promoting the development of:
resilience, determination, confidence, and
creative and critical thinking. good social skills
and the ability to form good relationships
Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the
acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and
habits. Educational methods include storytelling,
discussion, teaching, training, and directed research.
Education frequently takes place under the guidance of
educators, however learners may also educate
themselves.[1] Education can take place in formal or
informal settings and any experience that has a
formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts
may be considered educational. The methodology of
teaching is called pedagogy.
4. Currency

Are there dates on the page to indicate when the page

was written, when the page was first placed on the
Web,or when the page was last revised?

WHY IMPORTANT? - Some information is very time

sensitive. For example, a page talking about the top rate
Web search engines in 1997 is going to be horribly out of
date in 2000. There have been incredible changes in
search engine technology and new developments appear
almost monthly.
In currency. Which material would you use for your
research?

A.Teenage pregnancy (2017)

B.Teenage Pregnancy
(2013)

C.TEENAGE PREGNANCY
AND ITS RESOLUTION
5. Coverage

a) Are these topics successfully addressed, with

clearly presented arguments and adequate
support to substantiate them?

b) Does the work update other sources,

substantiate other materials you have read, or
add new information? Does it extensively or
marginally cover your topic?

c) Is the target audience identified and

appropriate for your needs?
WHY IMPORTANT? - Coverage is one of the most
important factors to consider before using the
information in a Web page. If the information
appears one sided, it could be evidence of bias (see
objectivity). You should explore enough sources to
obtain a variety of viewpoints and thereby determine
where a particular view fits on the continuum.