Skip to Main Content

Your browser is unsupported

We recommend using the latest version of IE11, Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

English 160 &161: Introduction to Library Research

Source Evaluation

Research is a conversation in which you engage with, interpret, synthesize and challenge different sources, ultimately adding your own voice to the conversation. The web is full of different source types that contribute different perspectives to the conversation, some more scholarly than others.

Instructions: Examine the source assigned to your group, and consider:

  • Who is the author? What qualifies them to write on this topic? (Find more information)
  • What type of publication is this? (Find more information)
  • Who is the intended audience of this source?
  • What type of writing is this? (Look at format and language)
  • Where does the information come from? Is it supported by evidence? Can you verify the information in another source?
  • Does the author admit bias or seem committed to a viewpoint, and is that OK?

Based on this information, discuss with your group (and try to come to a consensus) whether your source might be useful for a research paper. Why/why not? If you would use it, *how* would you use it?

SOURCE A

SOURCE B

SOURCE C

SOURCE D