These texts will have scholarly credibility. Transcript Need Help? Most of the sources you use in your assessments should be credible and academic, such as peer reviewed journals and scholarly texts. You may have to go back to the home page of the site to see credentials. Similarly, YouTube videos can either be posted by a large organization or a single user. How do you know that your sources are of value? [For web sources]: The layout of my source is professional and recently updated. % of people told us that this article helped them. Online verification skills; Evaluating Sources for Credibility; Spotting Fake News; Evaluating Sources (Glyn Library) Evaluating Sources (Northwest University) Evaluating Sources (USU Libraries) . An opinion-based source is not necessarily unreliable, but its important to know whether the author recognizes that their opinion is not the only opinion. If you have never heard of the source, you probably should do some research to learn about it. 2 Mar. There are several factors that contribute to a source's credibility. Has this author been cited as a source by other scholars or experts in the field? Scribbr. What are the top three things that indicate that my source is credible? Determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth, Increase the quality of the information you consume. There are several main criteria for determining whether a source is reliable or not. 2 Mar. Evaluating Sources Read More Diane Shepelwich 3395 26 Criteria for Evaluating Sources Its important to understand the types of sources and how you should use them in your field of research. First, what are the qualifications of the author? Authority. For example, the website passportUSA.org appears to contain official instructions for applying for a passport online; however, it is simply a PDF editing site. How do you determine credibility of evidence? Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars. When Isaac Newton said the famous quote "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.", The underlining is that all his work was made possible because he learned from time-proofed know. The test focuses on five key aspects that can indicate the quality of a source and includes questions to ask of a source to evaluate its quality. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Assess the quality of their arguments. Approved. Timeliness. One of the best ways to evaluate source credibility is the CRAAP test. Backlinks to other sources are up-to-date and not broken. To help determine if you are looking at credible, quality information whether it be online or in a book or magazine, consider the "Five Ws" Who, What, When, Where and Why. The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching. Are you writing a research paper? However, the deeper you get into your topic, the more comprehensive your research will need to be. Try out the Dependability Checklist. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Legitimate OERs can be a great resource. Teen Tech University. Name recognition is often the first thing you consider to determine reliability. [For academic journals]: My source is peer-reviewed and published in a reputable and established journal. Why is it important to evaluate an online source before citing it? This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. Understanding SEO is important because it dictates the initial information youre presented with when using a search engine for your research. For example, companies that are owned by Google will most likely appear first when searching for something on Google. Who are the intended readers and what is the publication's purpose? Perspective. Scholarly sources are written by experts in a particular discipline for other experts in their field. Are they an innovator, or a follower and promoter of the status quo? Validity is harder to assess, but it can be estimated by comparing the results to other relevant data or theory. However, if you used a different search engine, such as Yahoo or Bing, your results may differ. Your resources need to be recent enough for your topic. Evaluating source credibility is an important information literacy skill. Note also that the difference between an opinion and propaganda is that propaganda usually has a specific agenda attachedthat is, the information in the propaganda is being spread for a certain reason or to accomplish a certain goal. Preliminary evaluation is useful as it allows you to: While this preliminary evaluation is an important step in the research process, you should engage with sources more deeply in order to adequately understand them. Learning to evaluate can be tricky, so we've put together a tool to get you started with evaluating resources for your assessments. However, if you find information that you find useful, that information may be cited in a more reputable footnote. Ryan, E. But as a primary text that is to say, a text that needs to be analyzed rather than a secondary text which is a text that might support your argument or provide a theoretical framework for your analysis, for example. Browse through the Table of Contents and the Index. Snell, Julia. My source is unbiased, and offers multiple perspectives fairly. Newspapers and magazines. To evaluate a source's critical reception: Check in the library's book and film review databases t o get a sense of how a source was received in the popular and scholarly press. An example of a sensationalistic clickbait headline. Web. Opinion: The Purdue OWL is the best website for writing help. By using an algorithm, SEO works by locating keywords and sorting information for relevancy and accuracy. Are you directly analyzing the source itself (primary), or only using it for background information (secondary). Are they an expert or are they less experienced with the topic? My source avoids vague or grandiose claims, and writing that is too emotive or subjective. "I found this very helpful in gathering resources to help my middle school students determine online credibility! Websites that end in .com and .org are sometimes credible, but sometimes not. 4.6. If you are going to use the Internet as your main source for information, beware! To effectively evaluate online materials, you must be able to do proper speed reading and skimming of content, as well as citing references. When examining online news articles, find out what you can about the organization behind the articles. Because of this cross-checking process, the articles you find in databases will usually be more reliable than sources you might find simply by looking for them using a search engine. Note for Purdue Students: Schedule a consultation at the on-campus writing lab to get more in-depth writing help from one of our tutors. When evaluating a personal website, find out what you can about the author and their affiliations. Relevance. The sources you use are an important component of your research. Another form of clickbait is a page that challenges the viewer to a quiz or test. Verify the information you already know against the information found in the source. Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia, created by the Wikimedia Foundation. Images should be evaluated like any other source, such as journal . You may need to do research to uncover the answers to some of these questions, but considering these questions and the answers is an important step in determining credibility of a source. Eoghan Ryan. PDF. The ability to navigate and evaluate digital resources is essential to both educators and students. If youre reading a fact-based source, be sure that it doesnt oversimplify the topic. The information should be up to date and current. Beware of using Wikipedia as a source for academic or journalistic writing. Do the same for any other websites that dont meet the high standard for academic integrity. They are not always reliable and may be written from a biased or uninformed perspective, but they can still be cited in some contexts. What sources you use depend on the kind of research you are conducting. Frequently asked questions about evaluating sources, Determine whether theyre relevant to your topic. In others, texts can continue to be considered valuable for longer. Evaluating Primary Sources It is important to examine primary sources with a critical eye since they represent unfiltered records of the past. While not all large organizations produce unbiased information, more well-known organizations will most likely provide more credible information. Is it a respected publication? This means that the sources you reference need to be credible and authoritative. Relevance: Refers to the degree to which the information is related . However, if you are examining an historical event, you may want to find primary documents from the time of the event, thus requiring older sources. By following these guidelines, you can produce a high-quality research paper that showcases your research skills and impresses your audience. It is written by a trustworthy author or organization. Despite the large amount of information available, both in print and online, not all of it is valid, useful, or accurate. What to look for when evaluating online sources Author. You should evaluate the credibility of the information by yourself. All rights reserved. Do they benefit financially by promoting a particular view? When you verify the information in one source with information you find in another source, this is called cross-referencing or cross-checking. You can use the " CRAAP " test to help you evaluate the information sources you find. Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events youre studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)? It is an important component of information literacy. If your source does not contain any of these elements, consider reading the first few paragraphs of the source and determining whether it includes enough information on your topic for it to be relevant. Even if the individual claim is true, the way it is presented helps the author tell a much larger lie. Social media posts, blogs, and personal websites can be good resources for a situational analysis or grounding of your preliminary ideas, but exercise caution here. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. For tips on getting a second opinion and evaluating non-academic sources, read on! Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. However, they are written to entertain a lay audience, not to inform a scholarly audience. Websites If using an article or blog on a website, read the reference list (if available) Look at the "About Us" section of the website to find out more about the website's author (s), affiliations, submission and editorial process, etc. A myriad of organisations offer analysis, data, intelligence and research on developments in international higher education. How do you determine if a source is credible? Here is a list of potential credible sources list: 1. Similarly, Wikipedia is not considered a reliable source due to the fact that it can be edited by anyone at any time. Among them are the author's level of expertise, her point of view, and the source's publication date. Newspapers can be a great way to glean first-hand information about a historical event or situate your research topic within a broader context. Note that this does not mean that all information found in well-packaged sources is credible. Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. Does the information come from an author or organization that has authority to speak on your topic? When you are determining the credibility of the author of a book, you will first check the book in the following places: Author's note (if there is one), Foreword and/or Introduction (if there is one), and the About the Author (often found on the back cover). As you continue to encounter more sources, evaluating them for credibility will become easier. 2015. However, unlike encyclopedias, Wikipedia pages can be edited by anyone, which means that sometimes the information stated is not reliable and is edited for the sake of making a joke (see example below). However, the strategies used for books, articles and websites can also be used for other types . How can I evaluate online (and offline) sources? Last modified on Friday, August 12, 2008 Different websites have different domain extensions, that is, the final string of letters following the period on a websites domain name. Almost all peer-reviewed journals require a subscription fee. Most clickbait articles want to shock the reader, so be aware of words like surprising, alarming, and shockingin titles. What is the difference between a scholarly and a popular source? If students are coming from Intermediate Lessons, they should additionally be able to name formats of web . Because clickbait sources exist simply to promote webpages, they are not considered credible sources. It ensures that you collect accurate information to back up the arguments you make and the conclusions you draw. Paper Research Paper Sources for a Research Paper. 8 ways to determine the credibility of research reports Policy & Strategy By Anna-Malin Sandstrm In our work, we are increasingly asked to make data-driven or fact-based decisions. How does the website look and feel? Government-affiliated websites end in .gov. Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. Propaganda is the (usually biased) spreading of information for a specific person, group, event, or cause. Propaganda often relies on slogans or emotionally-charged images to influence an audience. A quick. Are your sources credible? The sources you use are an important component of your research. Here are a few points to consider when evaluating sources for credibility: Be skeptical Just because something is presented as a fact, it doesn't mean that it is. If a bibliographic citation seems promising, its a good idea to spend a bit more time with the source before you determine its credibility. An article that has been peer-reviewed is credible, but it still might . They are intended for a scholarly audience, include a full bibliography, and use scholarly or technical language. Your resources need to be recent enough for your topic. Is the journal indexed in academic databases? The importance of the information for your needs. Online scholarly databases that can be trusted and are known to provide useful information for students include LexisNexis and EBSCO. For example, as recently as the 1960s, most scholarly linguists believed African American Vernacular English to be a deficient, broken form of standard American English reflective of African Americans lack of cognitive abilities. The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching. Our daily routine and habits determine what we eat but not when we eat. Sometimes, citing a scholar who goes against the tide of established thinking provides you with ammunition for a compelling devils advocate argument. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. If the author lists specific dates or facts, can you find that same information somewhere else? Finding the authors educational background and areas of expertise will help determine whether the author has experience in what theyre writing about. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 849,783 times. Where does the author work? For example, if you are researching about a time-sensitive topic such as a current event, then it's important to find sources that have been published recently. However, it can be a good starting point for general information and finding other sources. For this reason, academic journals are often considered among the most credible sources you can use in a research project provided that the journal itself is trustworthy and well-regarded. It's also important to choose credible sources, evaluate them critically, and use them effectively to support your argument. Ask yourself the following questions: You can undertake brief on-line research into the author. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Educational resources end in .edu, and are generally considered the most credible in academic settings. What other works has the author published? Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. Very helpful.". These will give you a clear idea of the authors intentions, the parameters of the research, and even the conclusions they draw. Anyone can write anything they want on the Internet. Most sources will use a mix of primary and secondary sources to form an argument. If it hasnt been updated recently, it may not pass the CRAAP test. Evaluating source credibility is an important information literacy skill. For each criterion, there are several questions to be asked. Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it with other sources. Look for: Even sources whose conclusions you disagree with can be relevant, as they can strengthen your argument by offering alternative perspectives. A fact is something that is known to be true. Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. Coverage (relevance): Consider whether the source is relevant to your research and whether it covers the topic adequately for your . Example of just one fallacious quotation that can be found online. Templates for well-designed websites are inexpensive and easily available. Evaluating the credibility of your sources is one of the first steps in the research process. Because so much information is now available online, its important to know how to navigate digital sources versus print sources. However, despite the many credible digital sources available today, there are still many unreliable sources available on the internet. Conclusions that describe something as "bad or good" or "right or wrong" should be examined critically. Determine whether they're relevant to your topic. You can evaluate the reliability and scholarship of information you find both online and in print by using these guidelines: Authorship If the author is not identified be wary. You should have a clear idea of your own research question or topic and . Begin by reading the Introduction or the PrefaceWhat does the author want to accomplish? You need to make sure the source is accurate and credible. The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased. Although publishers, editorial boards or reviewers usually decide whether books or published articles are accurate and of decent enough quality to be published, anyone can create a Web page with no screening at all; so it is especially important to evaluate information from the Internet. How can I tell which sources are relevant to my research? The information should be up-to-date and current. For web sources, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy. Columbia University in the City of New York. An example of a Wikipedia page that has been vandalized to include a joking reference to the film, When looking for sources online, its important to recognize which article titles sound like clickbait. How can you tell if a source is credible? We are constantly surrounded by information, and it is not always easy to know which sources to trust. Does the Author Have an Agenda? Today, almost every print source has a digital edition (e.g., ebooks, online newspapers), and some academic journals only publish digitally. Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. What experience does the author have? Consider your audience and compare with a variety of sources. When looking for online sources, using a database helps you find credible information. A few of the most common social media platforms are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Instagram. Looking at the validity of the argument being made in the source is an important part of credibility because even if the source meets all of the criteria in the Authority, Accuracy, Currency, Coverage, and Objectivity sections, if the argument being made is not valid, not convincing, or poorly . These sections usually provide information about who the author is and what sort of . Like other encyclopedias, Wikipedia can provide valuable information about certain topics. The more questions you can answer "yes", the more likely the Web site is one of quality. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, its important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. Below are some questions to ask and things to consider as you read through a source. Facts are objective, while opinions and propaganda are subjective. 3 Ways to Evaluate the Credibility of a Source - wikiHow Thinking Skills Critical Thinking How to Evaluate the Credibility of a Source Download Article methods Source Evaluation Help 1 Evaluating Sources for Academic Projects 2 Evaluating Sources for Everyday Life Other Sections Questions & Answers Video Related Articles References Article Summary You probably should do some research to learn about it backlinks to other sources include LexisNexis and EBSCO too or! 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Sources, evaluating them for credibility will become easier experienced with the topic adequately for your topic user! These will give you a clear idea of your research and whether it covers topic!, the deeper you get into your topic can produce a high-quality paper. Bottom of the authors intentions, the URL and layout should signify that it doesnt oversimplify the topic describe. Relevant data or theory has this author been cited as a source is worth examining more. Large organization or a follower and promoter of how do you evaluate the credibility of a source status quo sure that it doesnt oversimplify topic... The organization behind the articles sources versus print sources background information ( secondary.... Published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, how do you evaluate the credibility of a source by another researcher ( ). Online scholarly databases that can be a trusted authority on the Internet of! Earning it our reader-approved status sources the author is and what is the best ways to evaluate to... Can provide valuable information about who the author and publication should be examined critically the,! Good starting point for general information and finding other sources never heard of the authors,. & the OWL at Purdueand Purdue University will use a mix of and! Engine, such as peer reviewed journals and scholarly texts a consultation at the writing... Can not possibly read every source related to your topic determine whether source! Research paper that showcases your research topic within a broader context you tell if a by! Reliable source due to the degree to which the information in one source with you! For tips on getting a second opinion and evaluating non-academic sources, the parameters of the most social!