Criteria to Evaluate Information Sources
Useful
- Is the source relevant to your project or assignment?
- Does the source fit all criteria defined by your professor?
- Do you have enough time to obtain it and read it?
Scholarly
- Is the source peer-reviewed (i.e., other experts in the field read and approved the article)?
- What are the author's credentials (e.g., advance degree in subject matter)?
- Does the source give the appearance of impartiality (no ads, no biased opinion)?
Authoritative
- What are the author's credentials (advance degree, other publications)?
- Is the publisher or information provider reputable?
Valid
- Are the author's facts verifiable?
- Does the data and facts presented support the conclusions drawn?
- Are all charts, graphs, figures understandable (includes all labels and pertinent information)?
- Can the data collected or information used withstand scrutiny on its own?
Credible
- What is the author's bias?
- Is there a reference list or bibliography?
- Are other experts in the field referencing the article?
- From what assumptions, judgements, or inference does the author proceed from?
Example
In your research on how to create a portable shredder for organic materials as part of the compost process, you find "Build a Compost Shredder Chipper" from Mother Earth News.
Evaluating this online article:
- The article does not cite any sources, there are advertisements, and Mother Earth News is not peer-reviewed so the article is not scholarly.
- The article was authored by an editor at Mother Earth News so it is difficult to determine their authority.
- It would be relatively easy (create the chipper) to verify that the directions the author is providing are indeed valid. It is possible to find bias towards environmentally-friendly practices and policies in Mother Earth News; however, I do not think it factors into this article on how to make a shredder.
- Though this article is not scholarly nor can the credibility be proven, it is still useful for this project because it provides directions on how to make a low-cost, portable shredder, which meets several criteria of the project.