Are they relevant and reliable? Are there sources of statistical information or examples provided in the text? If there are no references or they are poorly cited, do not rely on such sources in your research. Additionally, if the information source, like a dissertation , is based on original research, evaluate the methods used by the author to see whether the findings are accurate.
As a student, you are expected to use a variety of primary and secondary sources in your papers. To get quality information and support your arguments, you need to evaluate your sources critically. Information of dubious authority, accuracy, or timeliness can compromise your conclusions and undermine your work. So, do your best to filter out the information and question everything when evaluating sources for credibility.
You must be logged in to post a comment. How To Evaluate the Credibility of Sources. By Shout Out UK. Purpose: Think about the intended purpose of the information source and try to determine its aim. Currency: Assess the timeliness of the data. Authority: Make sure that the author of the information is an expert in the area they write about.
Accuracy: The information in the source must be accurate. Shout Out UK All author posts. Related Posts. Add comment Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. Very rarely, if ever, will they hold any weight in the scholarly community. Are there advertisements on the site? Check the links on the page - Broken or incorrect links can mean that no one is taking care of the site and that other information on it may be out-of-date or unreliable.
Check when the page was last updated - Dates when pages were last updated are valuable clues to its currency and accuracy. It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older.
This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results. Harold B. Evaluating Your Sources In your search for information, you eventually face the challenge of evaluating the resources you have located and selecting those you judge to be most appropriate for your needs. Examine each information source you locate and assess sources using the following criteria: Timeliness Your resources need to be recent enough for your topic.
Evaluating Websites Websites create an interesting challenge in evaluating credibility and usefulness because no two websites are created the same way. Do the fallacies make the article seem more or less credible? Finally, state whether or not the argument was convincing to you and tell why or why not.
Once you have answered all of these questions and the questions in the Authority , Accuracy , Currency , Coverage , and Objectivity sections, you can make a judgment on the credibility of the source.
Now that you're familiar with what makes a source credible, go to the Tutorial to practice determining credibility. Search this site. If no counterarguments are included, why do you think the author chose not to include them Examine and discuss the rhetorical devices that the author uses such as illustrations and examples, the tone of the paper emotional, detached, impassioned, matter-of-fact etc.
Report abuse. Page details. Are they really taking responsibility for a particular website or certain resource? In the case of websites, sometimes university web pages are "official" and sometimes they belong solely to students or staff or faculty. See also: What is a good way to find information about the authority or qualifications of an author?
Maybe it only presents part of the whole story? It is acceptable to use biased information as long as you understand it is biased and you acknowledge that in your paper. If you use a biased source, it is a good idea to find opposing information. To find sources on different sides of an issue pro and con, opposing viewpoints, compare-contrast , see our Comparison Contrast FAQ.
Be aware of your own biases as you consume and use information. Do your personal opinions change the way you interpret information?
Are you open to points of view that are different than your own? Do you choose only sources of information that reflect your personal point of view?
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