Module 5 - Activity 3

Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3 | Activity 4 | Activity 5 | Activity 6

Activity 3: Evaluating Your Sources

During your search for print and online sources, you will likely discover more than you can possibly use. How do you decide what is most important and relevant to your research question?  First, determine the reliability of your sources.  Look at the credibility and the reliability of your authors and whether they have published anything previously.  Notice where these authors are mentioned in professional organizations.  Also if you use a web site, notice whether a web site is questionable or authoritative.  Web sites are created at the drop of the hat and the author is not often named, which makes the information more questionable than in situations where authors are reviewing their writing through some kind of network of peers.  

In most instances, in order to determine the value of a source, you’ll want to answer these questions:

• Who published this book or journal? Are these publications scholarly and therefore reviewed by experts? Are they popular and therefore more likely to emphasize entertainment than information?
• Who wrote this book or article? What are this person’s credentials?
• When was this source published? Is this publication current enough or dated for your topic?
• Where does the information come from?  Is this source reliable?  Are other authors talking about this author?  Does this author write with other authors?
• Is the source highlighting a particular bias?
• Who benefits by this source? Are commercial interests apparent?