Table of Contents

Introduction

Not all information sources are equal. On any research project, your work must include evaluating your sources. Some sources will be useful as supporting viewpoints, some as contrasting viewpoints, and some will turn out not to be useful at all. Inevitably, any source you find was written for a distinct set of purposes, purposes that may or may not fit your purposes.

What Kind of Source is it?

Popular source: generally does not require extensive prior knowledge of a topic and presents an overview intended to inform a mass audience. Watch for settling for oversimplication.
Scholarly source: assumes a higher level of reader sophistication and presents arguments or evidence intended to validate new knowledge. Avoid accepting automatically the authoritative tone.

What is the Historical Context of the Source?

Primary source: is written during that period of time or is part of the issue/controversy and provides direct knowledge on it.
Secondary source: is written after that period of time or is about the issue/controversy and provides analysis and perspective from a particular point of view.
Watch for:(1) material that treats a matter as settled when you know it was published before issues or events were resolved, recognized or unfolded, and (2) material written before key facts were discovered.

What are the Credentials and Background of the Author/Expert?

You want a knowledgeable, reliable source. However, the material will inevitably be written from a particular point of view. This specialized angle of even the most expert source can limit or enhance the value of the material, depending on your purposes.
Watch for: (1) sources speaking as experts outside their field, and (2) sources whose backgrounds or special interests limit the perspectives on issues.

For What Purpose was the Source Written?

You need to determine the bias of the author. An objective author shows minimal bias, presents facts or stated evidence, defines terms, and provides an overview.
A subjective author is opinionated and presents facts that bolster this opinion or a particular point of view.

Watch for: (1) facts that not used appropriately, (2) facts that do not present as full a view of the material as you need, and (3) facts that do not warrant the author's conclusions. Ask yourself if there is additional information providing contradictory evidence. Examine the references or works cited for their reliabilitity and credibility by looking for reviews that examine or assess them.

See Also

Evaluating Information Evaluating Websites