The Research Process: A Step-By-Step Guide: 3a. Evaluate Sources

Criteria

Questions to Ask

urrency

• When was the source written and published?
• Has the information been updated recently?
• Is currency pertinent to your research?

elevance

• Does the source cover your research topic comprehensively or only cover 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?
• Does the source meet the requirements of your research assignment?

uthority

• Who is the author (person, company, or organization)?
• Does the source provide any information that leads you to believe the author is credible or an expert on the topic?
• Can you describe the author's background (experience, education, knowledge)?
• Does the author provide citations? Do you think they are reputable?

ccuracy

• 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?

urpose

• What is the purpose or motive for the source (educational, commercial, entertainment, promotional, etc.)?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is the author pretending to be objective, but really trying to persuade, promote or sell something?
• Does the source seem biased?