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STEP 8
Evaluate Your Sources
You, the student researcher, have collected the
sources for your research paper. Good! You may have a
number of journal articles, Web site information, books,
etc., for your assignment. Before you continue you must
evaluate each source and determine if it is suitable for
your research paper. It is essential that you evaluate
information found on the Web. Why is this you ask? The
main reason is that anyone can create and post any type
of information to the Web. There is no person or
organization that ensures the quality and authority of
information that is placed on the Web. The Web is a
“buyer beware” environment.
Therefore it is up to you, the student researcher, to
determine whether a Web site is authoritative. Ask the
Reference Librarian for help in checking out the
author’s credentials.
NOTE: Instructors want students to use
information that is objective, authoritative, accurate,
and timely (especially for current event topics).
Authoritative means that the person writing the
information is an expert on the subject, has a
reputation in the field, or is a noted journalist,
professor, etc. If information is from an authority in
the field it can be considered quality information. In
other words, don’t use the National Enquirer as a source
for authoritative
information!
The student researcher must evaluate the authority
of magazine and newspaper articles found in print or
online (ProQuest, SIRS, etc.)
Journal articles from peer-reviewed journals are a good
source for authoritative information. These journal
articles are written by knowledgeable authors and are
reviewed by other experts on that subject before being
published. Instructors usually encourage students to use
journal articles in student research papers.
NOTE: Use the “Peer-Reviewed” option in ProQuest to
locate articles from peer-reviewed journals.
Objective means that the material is fair, balanced,
and reasoned.
Ask Yourself:
Who is the author of the book, article, Web site, etc.?
What are the credentials of the author?
Then Do This:
• Review the book, article, Web site, etc. and determine
if the author is respected
and an expert (authority) in his/her field.
Ask Yourself:
What is the publication or update date?
Then Do This:
• For current event topics the date should be recent.
For historical or background
information older information is acceptable.
Ask Yourself:
Is the book, article, or Web site biased or objective?
Then Do This:
• Use the information about the author/organization
to determine this. For example, information published by
the National Rifle Association is biased toward gun
ownership.
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