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WRIT 1120: Seminar in Research Writing: Evaluating Sources

Common research strategies for writing courses

Why evaluate sources?

We recommend casting a wide net and trying different keyword combinations to retrieve a variety of sources. This is important because you should choose the BEST sources, not the first sources you find. As such, it's very easy to get overwhelmed with search results. So, how do you know which sources to select?

There are lots of factors to consider all at once, and which factors are most important will depend on the circumstances in which you are working. The information on this page is not exhaustive, rather it is a starting point.

Evaluating sources for credibility

If you'd like a break from reading text, the video below explains the following information in more detail.

What does it mean to be credible?

The source should be high quality, trustworthy, and believable.

Why is credibility important?

A source that was once considered high quality may lose credibility as new discoveries are made.

The best quality research builds on other high quality research.

Some factors that contribute to credibility

  • The author's expertise or experience. Or, if no author is named (such as in a newspaper) the reputation of the publication and content of the article become important factors.
  • The author's point of view and/or level of bias. Bias exists in all sources. The question is whether it is intentional or unintentional. It's also important to consider the consequences of the author's bias. How high are the stakes?
  • The date of publication. How important is it that the information is recent?

Other factors for consideration

Accuracy: Is the information factual? Can you verify it by checking other sources?

Relevance: Does the information presented relate to your question?

Authority: Who is the author (keeping in mind it could be a person or an organization)? Do they have experience or expertise in the subject about which they are writing?

Purpose: What is the author's intention and have they made it clear? (Inform, Sell, Persuade, Entertain, etc.) Does the writing style evoke strong emotions in the reader?

Videos: Evaluating content on the web

This video details the SIFT method for evaluating content found on the internet, specifically. Once you have narrowed your potential sources to a smaller subset of your results, apply the SIFT method to choose the best options.