TOPIC: How to Use the Library for Research

Evaluating is Choosing

You make choices every day.  How did you come to those decisions?   You had certain criteria in mind to influence your choice.  When locating and using information, you still make choices based on your assignment parameters, your professor's suggestions, what might be easy, or what matches what you already know about a subject.   Choose wisely - it will effect the outcome of your project.

CRITICAL EVALUATION - There are many ways sources can be useful.  It is a good idea to look at all kinds of criteria and to be thoughtful before using a source.   You should think carefully and sort through all of the sources you may want to use for your paper.   

Be sure to evaluate the CONTENT of the source as well as the external attributes.

ASK QUESTIONS!   The questions below will help you think critically during the source evaluation process:

• Purpose: How and why the source was created. Why does this information exist, why is it in this form (book, article, website, etc.), and who is the intended audience? Is the purpose clear?  Is it to inform, explain, persuade, or sell a product? Is it educational or commercial? How does this purpose affect the credibility of the source? 
• Objectivity: The reasonableness and completeness of the information. How thorough and balanced is this source? Does it present fact or opinion? How well do its creators acknowledge their point of view, represent other points of view fully, and critique them professionally?
• Verifiability: The accuracy and truthfulness of the information. How well do the creators of this source support their information with factual evidence, identify and cite their sources, and accurately represent information from other sources? Can you find the original source(s) of the information or verify facts in other sources? What do experts say about the topic?
• Expertise: The authority of the authors and the source. Who created this source and what education and/or professional or personal experience makes them authorities on the topic? How was the source reviewed before publication? Do other experts cite this source or otherwise acknowledge the authority of its creators?
• Audience:  Who is the content intended for?  Are they experts, novices, professionals, or hobbyists?  How does the intended audience effect the reliability of the information?
• Coverage:  Does the information on the page update, substantiate, or add new information to what you have already found on your topic? Is this primary or secondary information?  Does the page provide information that is not available in print?  Can you verify the information with another source? Also, can you find a source with a differing viewpoint that verifies the information?  What topics are covered? What does this source offer that is not found elsewhere? What is its intrinsic value?  How in-depth is the material?

• Information is produced for different purposes - to inform, to persuade, to instruct, to entertain, etc. 
• Information is produced for different types of audiences - general, popular, juvenile, scholarly, professional
• Information is presented in different formats - paper, electronic, video, audio, visual

Source Evaluation

These questions will help you decide if your source is appropriate for research-based writing

Is this source ACCURATE?

• Does this source strive for objectivity?
• Is the information in this source corroborated by other sources?
• Does this source have error-free reasoning?

Is this source AUTHORITATIVE?

• Does this source use authoritative sources?
• Does this source have an reputable author?
• Is this source published in an authoritative publication medium?
• Can the author be identified or is there an official association? What agency, institution, or other organization is the author from?
• Does the author’s academic history or work history make them an authority on the presented information?
• If the source includes neither an author nor indicates a sponsor, is there any other way to determine its origin?

Is this source RELEVANT?

• Is this source appropriate for information needs?
• Does this source deeply explore the given topic?
• Does this source help you understand the topic or construct a paper?

Relevance has to do with deciding whether the source actually relates to your topic and, if it does, how closely it relates. Some sources may be an exact match; for others, you may need to consider a particular angle or context before you can tell whether the source applies to your topic. When searching for relevant sources, you should keep an open mind—but not too open. Don’t pick something that’s not really related just because it’s on the first page of results or because it is short. You can assess the relevance of a source by comparing it against your research topic or research question. Keep in mind that the source may not need to match on all points, but it should match on enough points to be usable for your research beyond simply satisfying a requirement for an assignment.

Relevance is the value of the source for your needs.  How useful is this source in answering your question, supporting your argument, or adding to your knowledge?  Is the type and content of the source appropriate for your assignment?

Is this source CURRENT?

• Is this source timely according to the publication medium?
• Is this source timely according to research topic/argument?
• Does this source cover historical context?
• When was this content created? When was it last updated?  If done, when was the last update?
• How current are the references / citations / links?  Can you track down any?
• Does your topic require current information? How up-to-date is this source and the information within it?