When doing research, you are likely to use a variety of sources such as books; articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals; and websites. To ensure that you are including only valid information in your research, evaluate your sources using the criteria below.
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Questions to Ask |
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Authority / Credibility
Determining the author for a source is important in deciding whether information is credible. The author should show some evidence of being knowledgeable, reliable, and credible.
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- Who is the author (person, company, or organization)?
- Does the source provide any information that leads you to believe the author is an expert on the topic?
- Is the author affiliated with a reputable institution?
- Have you seen the author's name cited in other sources or bibliographies?
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Accuracy
The source should contain accurate and up-to-date information that can be verified by other sources.
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- Can facts or statistics be verified through another source?
- Based on your knowledge, does the information seem accurate? Does it match the information found in other sources?
- Are there spelling or grammatical errors?
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Scope / Relevance
It is important that the source meets the information needs and requirements of your research topic.
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- Does the source cover your topic comprehensively or does it cover only one aspect?
- To what extent does the source answer your research question?
- Is the source considered popular or scholarly?
- Is the terminology and language used easy to understand?
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Currency / Date
Some written works are ageless (e.g., classic literature) while others (e.g., technological news) become outdated quickly. It is important to determine if currency is pertinent to your research. |
- When was the material created, published, or last updated?
- Have more recent articles been published on the topic?
- Are links or references to other sources up-to-date?
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Objectivity / Bias / Reliability
Every author has an opinion. Recognizing this is instrumental in determining if the information presented is objective or biased. |
- What is the purpose or motive for the source (educational, commercial, entertainment, promotional, etc.)?
- Who is the intended audience - the general public? the educated layperson? professionals? practitioners? scholars?
- Is a balanced view of different perspectives on the topic presented?
- Is the author pretending to be objective, but really trying to persuade, promote, or sell something?
- Are important facts or data that might disprove a claim omitted?
- Is strong or emotional language used?
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Style / Functionality
Style and functionality may be of lesser concern. However, if the source is not well-organized, its value is diminished.
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- Is the material well-written and organized?
- Does it contain a table of contents and/or index to facilitate use?
- Does it include a bibliography?
- Does it contain graphs, tables, charts, illustrations, photographs, maps, or other special features that add to its usefulness
- If it is a website, can you navigate around easily?
- If it is a website, are links broken?
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