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Evaluating Sources

Criteria for Evaluating Sources

Before you look for sources, it is best to have an idea of the criteria that you will use for evaluation. In general, you need to make sure that the each source you select is relevant to your project and that you trust the authority of the creators.  The table below can help you make decisions about which sources to select.

Relevance
The sources you select should be demonstrably applicable to your project and contribute in some way to your understanding of the topic. 

You can make a preliminary determination about an item's relevance by:

  • reading any abstract (summary) available in the database
  • looking at the subject tags associated with the item
  • reading the first few paragraphs (article) or first chapter (book) and the conclusion
  • examining the bibliography to see if related sources are cited

Authorship
When evaluating a source, investigate your author. Sometimes the source will provide a biography of the author but you may have to search for information about them on your own.

Authority on a topic is relative and depends on the type of material you are using.

  • Scholars with PhDs or another terminal degree in their field typically write scholarly books and journal articles. 
  • Practitioners, or people who work actively in their field, are also credible authors. Usually their expertise relies on their specific experience in practice. Trade resources are created by practitioners. 
  • Journalists often write for newspapers and some magazines, covering topics with varying degrees of intricacy.
  • Opinion writers may have no formal, practical, or theoretical knowledge of a subject and are writing based on opinion. You should evaluate their work with a highly critical eye. Even if the information is correct, and can be proven by a more expert author, it may not have the same weight when referenced in your argument as citing a source written by a credentialed author. 

Subject
The subject of the source to match your own topic. 

 Considering the subject of your source might seem like an obvious step in the evaluation process, as it can happen somewhat automatically as you search for your sources. However, just because the title of an item seems to fit your topic does not mean that it is the most relevant source. As you read an source's summary and examine its metadata in the database where you find it, consider how well the item applies to your research question.
Date of Publication
The time period or specific date that a source is published can impact the perspective that it presented.

The date that an item is published impacts perspective and societal understanding of a topic. Articles published about terrorism in the United States before September 11th 2001 will probably have a different emphasis than articles on that topic published in the intervening years. 

Different disciplines have different expectations of currency. For example, history topics generally involve looking at sources published since an event took place, so an older resource will be valuable. In a technology or science field, current information may be more appropriate. 

Publisher/Distributor
The organization that publishes the source can have great impact over its bias and accuracy.

 It is important to know where your resource comes from - not only who wrote it but also who published and/or hosts it. Investigate the owners or producers of a journal, newspaper or magazine in which an article is published, or the publisher of a book. For a website, look for the company or individual that has copyright. Try to find out what disciplines the organization covers, their affiliations or core beliefs, and whether they accept money from groups that might control what they produce. Many library-provided databases will include information about journals and publishers, but you can also find it on their websites. 
Reason
Why was this item produced?		 It can be helpful to know the author's motivation or purpose for producing the source. Is the author trying to make an informed argument? Describe a process that worked well and can be reproduced by others in the field? Sway opinion? Be entertaining? More on finding the motivation for scholarly sources can be found at Identifying a Thesis Statement.

Cited Sources
References to other work must be acknowledged. 

 In scholarly works, cited sources usually take the form of a bibliography. In less formal works, there may be links to other sources or at least a description of sources detailed enough that you are able to find the work being referred to. A good reference list should include materials that challenge an author's assertions.

The following questions may help you decide if you want to use any particular source.

  • Why was this item created?
  • Is the information supported by external research, evidence, or data?
  • Does the author make logical arguments? 
  • Are conflicting views dismissed without much thought or carefully examined?
  • Does the author justify their own conclusions?
  • Is bias acknowledged?
  • How does this source reinforce or contradict information found in other sources?
  • Does the author provide additional sources to read?
  • How specifically does this source contribute to your knowledge base on this topic? What did you learn from this source that you did not know before?