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ENGL 111-Columbus

Tips for Evaluating Information

Here are some things to look for when you're evaluating a Web site or a source other than an article found through a library database, book, etc.

Currency

Simply speaks to the recency of published information.  Is the information outdated for the topic you're studying?

Authorship

Locate the author of a publication, Web site, etc. Is he or she qualified to speak on a given topic?

Sponsorship

Sometimes a sponsor will have a hidden agenda.  This is something that I learned when looking for the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) in SourceWatch.  

Purpose/Audience

Ties in with authorship and sponsorship.  What is the intent of the Web site or publication?

Accuracy

Is the information found on a given Web site, book, etc. accurate?  If an author lists the wrong dates for World War I, the accuracy of the remaining information is thrown into question.

From: 

Hacker, Diana, and Barbara Fister.  (2009). "Tips for Evaluating Sources."  Bedford/St. Martin's.com. Bedford St. Martin's, n.d. Web. 19 Aug. 2011.  Retrieved from http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/tips.html.

Quaratiello, Arlene, and Jane Devine. The College Student's Research Companion: Finding, Evaluating, and Citing the Resources You Need to Succeed. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2011.