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How
Do I Evaluate the Information I Find?
An
integral part of research, perhaps the most important part, is evaluating
the information, viewpoints, and arguments you find.
When
identifying possible resources, consider these questions:
WHY
was the information published?
- Who is the audience?
- What are the motives?
| Example: |
Is
the web site meant to be a marketing tool, to persuade rather than
factually inform? |
WHERE
is the source found?
- Is the
source reputable?
- Is the
source reliable?
| Example: |
Is
an article about some latest scientific research found in a popular
magazine or a reliable scientific journal? |
WHO
is responsible for the information?
- Who is
the author?
- What are
the author's credentials?
- How much
has the author already written on the subject?
| Example: |
Does
the author have a degree in the discipline and a research focus on
the topic about which he or she has written? |
WHEN
was the source published?
- Are the
facts likely to be current?
- How might
the time of publication affect the point of view of the author?
| Example: |
How might a book written about World War II and published in
2005 differ from a book written about World War II and published a year
after the war ended? |
Evaluation
should be a key step throughout your research, both in identifying and
selecting a source.
Next:
More on
Evaluating Information |
Research
process