2 Mar. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. December 7, 2022. Google Scholar is a search engine for academic sources. Look for high-end, professional finishes to websites and print publications. Are there links to other sources on the page, and are they trustworthy? Be sure they have a Creative Commons license allowing them to be duplicated and shared, and meet the CRAAP test criteria, especially in the authority section. This Common Core aligned teaching packet is appropriate . Remember, anyone can publish information on the Internet. However, despite the many credible digital sources available today, there are still many unreliable sources available on the internet. However, if you are researching the Peloponnesian War, a source from 200 years ago would be reasonable to refer to. One of the first steps in evaluating a source is to locate more information about the author. Another form of clickbait is a page that challenges the viewer to a quiz or test. Opinion: The Purdue OWL is the best website for writing help. Its possible to find many news articles online, both from digital newspapers and websites that post news articles. Is the language objective or emotional? Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it with other sources. Images should be evaluated like any other source, such as journal . Many people have personal websites, such as blogs, that are not associated with a larger group or organization. Evaluating Sources | Methods & Examples. Using credible and relevant sources is important. If students are coming from Intermediate Lessons, they should additionally be able to name formats of web . Anne Burke Associate Head, Learning Spaces & Services Video added on June 1, 2015 Credits Anne Burke: Project Lead, Storyboards Lisa Becksford: Script, Editing These sections usually provide information about who the author is and what sort of . While a scientific study showed that Wikipedia is as accurate as professionally generated encyclopedias. Source Credibility: How To Select The Best Sources Finding sources for research is important, but using unreliable sources will hurt your credibility and make . They are written to inform, not entertain, and assume a high level of previous knowledge because they are written specifically to people who have a vested professional interest in technical information relevant to their specialization. June 2, 2022 For example, there are on-line journals that utilize peer-review thus providing greater credibility to the publication. In some disciplines, material can become outdated very swiftly. Students understand the importance of critically assessing a source's credibility. Is a source of funding disclosed? My source cites or links to other sources that appear relevant and trustworthy. By using an algorithm, SEO works by locating keywords and sorting information for relevancy and accuracy. Are there any specific texts or scholars that have greatly influenced the field? For example, companies that are owned by Google will most likely appear first when searching for something on Google. This process will help you determine if a source is credible and help you identify if it is relevant to your research. Browse through the Table of Contents and the Index. As a general rule, all .gov websites are credible because they have the weight of governmental institutions behind them. Evaluating Sources for Credibility What does it mean for a source to be credible? There are several main criteria for determining whether a source is reliable or not. Among them are the author's level of expertise, her point of view, and the source's publication date. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. 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). This is not to say that less-established scholars work is not credible. 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. What is the credibility of secondary sources? As you examine each source, it is important to evaluate each source to determine the quality of the information provided within it. When evaluating academic journals or books published by university presses, its always a good rule of thumb to ensure they are peer-reviewed and published in a reputable journal. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. August 26, 2021 Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia, created by the Wikimedia Foundation. Who are the intended readers and what is the publication's purpose? For example, if you were to search How to change a flat tire in a search engine, you would most likely get how-to videos and pages, rather than someone selling their car on Craigslist, because the algorithm sorts the webpages based on the keywords you input. Has the author of the article published other articles? Are they appropriate for your needs? An opinion gives the thoughts of a particular individual or group. You may have to go back to the home page of the site to see credentials. Is there an About Us page, or a way to contact the author or organization if you need clarification on a claim they have made? It should be evident who created the content. This stands for: How you evaluate a source using these criteria will depend on your subject and focus. The last example above uses facts in a bad-faith way to take advantage of the audience's fear. If a source has a list of references, it often means that the source is well-researched and thorough. How does the author use evidence? A good argument should be based on analysis and critique, and there should be a logical relationship between evidence and conclusions. This means that the sources you reference need to be credible and authoritative. Consider the tone, style, vocabulary, level of information, and assumptions the author makes about the reader. It is an important component of information literacy. What is his or her educational background? Ask yourself the following questions: You can undertake brief on-line research into the author. This is a great place to kick off your research. Severe academic dishonesty can include buying a pre-written essay or the answers to a multiple-choice test, or falsifying a medical emergency to avoid taking a final exam. The CRAAP test is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are considering using. Likewise, if you are searching for information about what restaurant to go to tonight, it's important to use current information. Examine source in full text (PDF or original print is preferable) for errors, organization, opinions, etc. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Often, it's possible to evaluate the credibility of web sources based on the title, date, and URL. Yes to scholarly databases. 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. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. There are several factors that contribute to a source's credibility. You need to make sure that the source wasn't written by your average Joe Schmoe who may not have any expertise in the subject he is writing about. Validity is harder to assess, but it can be estimated by comparing the results to other relevant data or theory. Do. Learn what questions to ask and some strategies to apply for determining if your source is or isn't appropriate for your project. What authority does the author have? Though this sort of vandalism is rare, it is not unheard of. If youre just starting your research, you might look for sources that include more general information. Snell, Julia. First, what are the qualifications of the author? However, the strategies used for books, articles and websites can also be used for other types . There are a few criteria to look at right away when assessing a source. How can I evaluate online (and offline) sources? When evaluating the credibility of a website, look first at the URL. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. Any resourceprint, human, or electronicused to support your research topic must be evaluated for its credibility and reliability. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. Here are five ways to help you identify a reliable source: 1. What about the news? Course ReservesLibrary materials reserved for your classes. Is the intended audience a scholarly one? One of the best ways to evaluate source credibility is the CRAAP test. Why is it important to use these sources? For example, podcasts like Stuff You Missed in History Classand Historium Unearthiaprovide information on often-overlooked historical events. Purpose: Think about the intended purpose of the information source and try to determine its aim. Scribbr. 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. There are several ways of determining if an author is credible depending on the type of source. If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the Cite this Scribbr article button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. [For web sources]: The layout of my source is professional and recently updated. Evaluating Sources: Introduction Evaluating Sources: Introduction Evaluating sources means recognizing whether the information you read and include in your research is credible. What to look for when evaluating online sources Author. When evaluating a personal website, find out what you can about the author and their affiliations. The former describes the acts in terms of the law (an objective source) whereas the second example judges the actions according to the author's own belief of what is a despicable act. 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. Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. Templates for well-designed websites are inexpensive and easily available. Transcript Need Help? an article that is evaluated by other experts in the field) or published by a university press, professional society, or scientific publisher (all of which also operate peer-review processes)? Facts are objective, while opinions and propaganda are subjective. Answer (1 of 5): Sources are the foundations not only of journalism but humanity itself. The process of evaluating scholarly materials also enhances your general skills and ability to: When looking for sources online, its important to recognize which article titles sound like clickbait. Scholarly books are often published by university presses (Amherst College Press) and professional associations (American Historical Association), whereas non-scholarly articles are published by commercial publishers (Houghton Mifflin). Students are always told, Never use Wikipedia. Thats true you should never cite Wikipedia for multiple reasons: its written anonymously, so you cant know the credibility of the author, and its continually updated, so its not a stable source. Very helpful.". A high number of Cited By results can often be a measurement of credibility. Privacy policy. Language & Education: An International Journal 27.2 (2013): 110-128. The source should be relevant to your research. Not all sources are created equal - especially when it comes to advanced research. Are there any oversights or weaknesses in the research? If the cited source meets the other standards for credibility, read that source and cite it. When examining online news articles, find out what you can about the organization behind the articles. Anyone can write anything they want on the Internet. Last Updated: December 13, 2022 When doing research, you will use a variety of sources such as books, newspaper articles, magazines or journals, and websites. If students are coming from the Beginner Lessons, they should be able to talk about different media (e.g., images, videos, books, web pages, news articles) and different types of primary sources, as well (e.g., letters, journals, maps). Online scholarly databases that can be trusted and are known to provide useful information for students include LexisNexis and EBSCO. You should also examine whether the author has other publications and if they are with well-known publishers or organizations. However, if you find information that you find useful, that information may be cited in a more reputable footnote. My source is unbiased, and offers multiple perspectives fairly. During stressful times, most people lose their appetite A private individual does not have the credibility needed for academic work; however, a large, established organization like the American Medical Association or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do. They are usually part of a series or follow a theme. Utilizing rigorous criteria, a panel of reviewers in the same subject area decide whether to accept each submission for publication. Preliminary evaluation helps you to pick out relevant sources in your search, while in-depth evaluation allows you to understand how theyre related. But how can you tell the good from the bad? He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. A few of the most common social media platforms are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Instagram. How do you evaluate the source of information? Search Engine Optimization Search engine optimization (often abbreviated SEO) is a strategy used to increase unpaid views on a website from search engines. Evaluating Sources Read More Diane Shepelwich 3395 26 Criteria for Evaluating Sources CRAAP test Currency The timeliness of the information. 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. Does the information come from an author or organization that has authority to speak on your topic? By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. What are possible consequences of not evaluating sources? Is the journal indexed in academic databases? 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. Try out the Dependability Checklist. It's also important to choose credible sources, evaluate them critically, and use them effectively to support your argument. If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the Cite this Scribbr article button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. Today, almost every print source has a digital edition (e.g., ebooks, online newspapers), and some academic journals only publish digitally. Privacy policy. 2015. If the source appears to represent an opinion, does the author offer legitimate reasons for adopting that stance? 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. Begin your in-depth evaluation with any landmark studies in your field of research, or with sources that youre sure are related to your research topic. Retrieved March 1, 2023, Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. As you dig deeper into your scholarly research, books and academic journals are usually your best bet. Possessing these skills will give you the ability to objectively and successfully critique online materials. At the bottom of most Wikipedia pages, you can find a list of sources that will take you to other pages (see image below). It can be especially challenging to verify the credibility of online sources. The information should be up to date and current. Is it a respected publication? Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it to other sources. As a rule of thumb, if a source is even passively trying to convince you to purchase something, it may not be credible. An example of a References section from a Wikipedia article that has been carefully sourced. In fact, even Wikipedia itself encourages its users to take caution when gathering information from its site. This test is used to evaluate sources of information and determine their credibility. If you need some guidance on finding good sources, set up a, Evaluating the Credibility of Your Sources, Academic Integrity Best Practices for Faculty, research consultation with Columbia Libraries. In others, texts can continue to be considered valuable for longer. Discuss the information you find with your health care provider before you rely on it. This panel of experts determines whether or not the sources used in the article were credible, whether the methodologies used in studies are scientifically sound, and render a professional opinion as to whether or not an article meets the academic standard of integrity. a .edu address. Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events youre studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)? It states: Users should be aware that not all articles are of encyclopedic quality from the start. Do they confirm or challenge established knowledge? If the material does not measure up to expected standards of scholarly work, it may still be of use to you. How can you tell if a source is credible? Evaluate sources of information by examining them for authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage. This way, you can assess whether the source is representing the data accurately, or cherry-picking to give a misleading picture of the situation described in the primary source. If so, it should have a clear bibliography that you will also be able to consult for further sources. Determine whether they're relevant to your topic. Tegan George. The information provided is accurate to the best of my knowledge. 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. 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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. If you are interested in using a YouTube video in your research, look at whether the publisher is a larger organization (such as TED or National Geographic) or a single user that only publishes under a username. 4) Coverage. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b3\/Evaluate-the-Credibility-of-a-Source-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Evaluate-the-Credibility-of-a-Source-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b3\/Evaluate-the-Credibility-of-a-Source-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid368290-v4-728px-Evaluate-the-Credibility-of-a-Source-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"