Introduction to Chapter 32

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Instructor's Notes

To download handouts of the Learning by Doing activities, Take Action charts, and checklists that appear in this unit, and to access lecture slides, teaching tips, and Instructor's Manual materials, go to the "Instructor Resources" folder at the end of this unit.

32

Evaluating Sources

For more on critical reading and thinking, see Chs. 2 and 3.

After you locate and collect information, you need to think critically and evaluate–in other words, judge–your sources.

Use Take Action: Evaluating Sources for each of the sources you’ve found.

Why Evaluating Sources Matters

In a College Course

  • You found half a dozen sources about your topic, but they wildly disagree; you have to decide what to do next.

  • You found a Web site without any author, a testimonial by a TV star you dimly remember, and a boring article by a professor, but you don’t know which one to believe.

In the Workplace

  • You have to prepare a recommendation for a client after deciding what data and field reports to provide.

In Your Community

  • You disagree with the mayor’s decision to ban urban gardening, so you want to find current, substantial information that will change her mind.

image When have you decided which sources to use and which to skip? In what situations do you expect to evaluate sources again?

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Take Action Evaluating Sources

Ask each question listed in the left-hand column to evaluate your sources. Follow the ASK—LOCATE SPECIFICS—TAKE ACTION sequence to make sure your sources are reliable.

1 ASK 2 LOCATE SPECIFICS 3 TAKE ACTION
Is my source reliable?

  • Determine whether the author has a good reputation as a journalist or scholar in the field.

  • Confirm that the publisher or sponsoring organization of the source is reputable.

  • Review the source for any signs of bias.

  • Check the date of the source.

  • Take special care with Internet sources.

  • Ask a reference librarian or your instructor if you need help determining an author’s or a publisher’s reputation.

  • Watch out for sources that take extreme positions on an issue without a fair or logical discussion of opposing viewpoints.

  • Check carefully for any author or publisher affiliations (political, religious, corporate, etc.) that may indicate bias.

  • In general, look for the most recent evidence related to your research question.

  • Aim for well-established Internet sites, such as CNN.com, or sites that are part of nonprofit (.org), educational (.edu), or governmental (.gov) organizations. Review the checklist Evaluating Internet Sources.
What type of source am I working with?

  • Determine whether a source is primary (firsthand) or secondary (interpreted) evidence.

  • Check to see whether a source is popular or scholarly.

  • Review the description of primary and secondary sources in Assessing the Reliability of Sources. Many research projects benefit from both primary and secondary evidence.

  • Review the distinction between popular and scholarly sources in Assessing the Reliability of Sources. Use scholarly sources if you can understand the content; use popular sources if they are well regarded and serious.
Is the source relevant to my research project?

  • Review your research question and purpose.

  • Confirm that the source is appropriate for your purpose. Including sources that are off topic or irrelevant will dilute your focus and drown out your own voice.