Currency
Evaluating a source by currency means that you are asking: Is the content presented current enough for your project?
When considering the currency of a source, ask yourself:
Where should you look to determine the currency of a source?
Print & Database Sources | Websites |
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What to avoid:
EXAMPLES | QUESTIONS TO ASK |
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MSNBC.com | What kind of site is it? Would you expect the information to be up to date? |
CIA World Factbook | Is the information on this web site up to date? Why is that important? |
TravelGram | Is the information up to date? Why or why not would this be important? |
Relevance
Evaluating a source by relevance means that you are asking: Does it answer your question or contribute to your research?
When considering the relevancy of a source, there are several things to ask yourself:
Where should you look to determine the relevancy of a source?
Print & Database Sources | Websites |
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What to avoid:
EXAMPLES | QUESTIONS TO ASK |
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What is "global climate change"? | Who is the intended audience for this web site? Does it include information that is too technical or too basic? |
Foreign Affairs | Does this website assume you have prior knowledge about the topic? Does it address a topic broadly or is it very specific? |
How Stuff Works | Does this website offer a general overview of a topic or does it answer a specific question? Would you feel comfortable citing this source in your research project? |
Accuracy
Evaluating a source by accuracy means that you are asking: Is the information provided correct?
When considering accuracy, ask yourself the following questions:
Where should you look to determine the accuracy of a source?
Print & Database Sources | Websites |
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What to avoid:
EXAMPLES | QUESTIONS TO ASK |
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Current Employment Statistics | Where does the information come from? Does the author cite sources? |
Smithsonian Institution | Is this site purely informational, or is it trying to sell a product (advertising)? |
Authority
Evaluating a source by authority means that you are asking: Does the author have expertise on the topic about which he/she is writing?
When considering authority, ask yourself:
Where should you look to determine the authority of a source?
Print & Database Sources | Websites |
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What to avoid:
EXAMPLES | QUESTIONS TO ASK |
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Eating Disorders | Is the author qualified to write about this topic? |
Country Joe McDonald's Florence Nightingale Tribute | Is the author an expert, or a credible source of information? |
Rooftop Gardens | Are you able to find information about the author? Is it a personal website? |
Purpose & Objectivity
Evaluating a source by purpose & objectivity means that you are asking: Is there bias or a slant given to the information provided?
When considering the purpose & objectivity of a source, ask yourself the following questions:
Where should you look to determine the purpose & objectivity of a source?
Print & Database Sources | Websites |
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What to avoid:
Note: It's okay to use information from sources that contain strong arguments or opinions, but it's always a good idea to acknowledge the author's view.
EXAMPLES | QUESTIONS TO ASK |
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BeefNutrition.org | Who sponsors this web site? Does it promote an agenda or specific viewpoint? |
Melatonin.com | Is this site purely informational, or is it trying to sell a product (advertising)? |
Monsanto - Biotechnology | Who sponsors this web site? Does it promote an agenda or specific viewpoint? |
In academia (college, graduate school, seminary, etc.) students must be able to recognize quality sources that will be accepted as valid research. Some of the terms used for these kinds of sources include, academic, scholarly, peer-reviewed, or refereed. They can include articles that analyze other research and/or reporting on original research.These are written by experts in a particular field that appeal to other scholars/experts/interested parties in that field.
Peer-reviewed journals only publish articles that have passed through a peer review process which helps ensure that the published articles reflect solid scholarship in their fields. However, the journals have differing levels of reliability when it comes to peer review.
In a print-based information ecosystem, it is much more obvious to see the difference between articles are published in journals and those that are published in popular magazines or newspapers. But electronic resources (online databases) often present articles as if they are independent objects. But, it is important to know where articles come from in order to properly evaluate them. Watch this 3:50 minute borrowed video for a visual overview.
(Hartness Library CCV/Vermont Tech) Jan 23, 2017
Citations include an article's title as well as its source (journal or magazine).
When searching electronic databases such as EBSCOhost, look for icons such as these for clues:
Bushnell University Kellenberger Library | 828 E. 11th St., Eugene, Oregon 97401 | (541) 684-7233 | librarian@bushnell.edu