Writing Courses

Evaluate Information

Read information you find from any source with a critical eye! Use common sense and a little critical thinking before deciding on a reputable source of information. Consider these points when evaluating books, articles and web sites:

• Who?

• Who wrote it? What ideas is the author trying to promote?
• Does the author seem to favor one idea or another? Could this affect the conclusions drawn?

Check:

o that the author's name is given
o where the author works -- author's affiliation or credentials
o who published the book, article or site
o the type of journal in which the article is published (hint: most scholarly research appears in journals that are refereed or reviewed by peers - sometimes called "peer reviewed" journals
o the reputation of the newspaper in which the article is published.

• What?

• What ideas, theories, and/or major points are being conveyed?
• Is the information new to you, or do you already know what is being discussed?
• Is the information accurate and reliable?

  Check:
  
  o Do the conclusions in the paper seem justified? Does the research make sense - i.e. if you were conducting this research, would you feel comfortable drawing the same conclusions based on the results?
  o what aspect of the topic is being discussed?

• While you may not feel qualified to judge research in areas that are unfamiliar to you, evaluating a research paper involves little more than being critical of what you read and using a little common sense.

• Where?

• Where's the information from? (see "Who?")

Check:

o who published the article, book, or web site
o the reputation of the newspaper, journal, or magazine in which the article is published (is it from the Washington Post or the National Enquirer?).
o the type of journal the article is published in (scholarly/peer-reviewed journal vs. trade journal vs. popular press magazine)
o if statistics are given, people are named, or other research is referred to, are the sources cited?

• When?

• How old is the information?
• Is it too old to be useful (this can vary, depending on the area & type of information!)?

Check:

o when was the article written?
o when was a web page last updated?
o is it possible that there are newer statistics or research?

If you have questions about the type, accuracy, or reliability of information you find, Ask Us! We can guide you through the evaluation process.

This page was last updated on Thursday, 16-Jul-2009 08:02:33 EDT