|
Criteria
|
Questions to Ask
|
|
Currency
|
- When was the source written and published?
- Has the information been updated recently?
- Is currency pertinent to your research?
|
|
Relevance
|
- 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?
|
|
Authority
|
- 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?
|
|
Accuracy
|
- 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?
|
|
Purpose
|
- 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?
|
