Evaluate Sources
They can't put anything on the internet that isn't true, right?
Not quite. We know there is endless information available online. But how do we know which sources we can trust to provide accurate and unbiased information? That is not false or misleading?
And it's not just the internet. This includes print sources too.
People and organizations may publish whatever they'd like.
While it's easy to believe what you see to be true, it's crucial to understand that everything should be evaluated. With the right skills and a little practice, you can be in control of the information you encounter and easily identify sources that are credible vs. those that aim to deceive.
Introduction Video
Introduction Video
What does credible mean?
Why is it important to use credible sources?
How can I tell if a source is credible?
Quick Tips
Quick Tips
Page outline
Scroll inside the box to the left
Be skeptical
Examine the source's and author's credentials and affiliations
Evaluate what sources are cited by the author
Make sure the source is up-to-date
Check endorsements and reviews that the source received
Check if the publisher of the source is reputable
Make sure the source does not use vague terms to support itself
Beware of bias
Popular Strategies
Popular Strategies
Regardless of format, it is critical to evaluate all sources for relevance and credibility. Relevance addresses if the information is related to your research while credibility determines if the information can be trusted and backed up by evidence. As a researcher, you can choose which evaluation strategy works to support your research.
CRAAP (or TRAAP)
Helpful to evaluate scholarly journals and texts.
Currency (Timeliness)
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose
SIFT
Helpful to evaluate social media, news articles, and websites.
Stop
Investigate the source
Find better coverage
Trace claims, quotes, & media to their original context
The 5Ws
Helpful to evaluate online sources.
Who? Authority
What? Accuracy
When? Currency
Where? Publisher
Why? Purpose & Objectivity
The information for this section was adapted from
University of Washington: Evaluating Information Module
Lateral Reading
Lateral Reading
Definition
Lateral reading means leaving a website you're considering to use as a source to find out more about the site and who's behind it.
Rather than assuming the information on the site is true - even if the site looks legitimate - you see what other sources are saying about the author or creator to determine its credibility.
Lateral reading = moving from tab to tab to learn more about a source (rather than relying on the information provided on the original site)
What does it look like?
Find a potential website to use as a source
Assess the website briefly
Leave the site and open new tabs
Search for reliable sources to see how they're discussing the site - good, bad, and ugly
Determine if the site is credible
Where do I look for more information?
Newspapers, magazines, digital news sites
Wikipedia
Google search - but don't settle on the first couple of search results; look at the entire first page of results, and possibly even the 2nd and 3rd pages
Other Considerations
Other Considerations
Types of Sources
Types of Sources
Scholarly | Trade | Popular
s vs p vs t.jpg
Want to learn more? Watch this short video
or view some examples.
Scholarly | Peer-reviewed
Scholarly | Peer-reviewed
Description
Helpful Tips
Resources
Scholarly
(or academic)
A scholarly source is material written by an expert in a particular field of study. This material is intended for other scholars in the same field, researchers, and faculty. It may or may not be peer-reviewed.
There are databases that only contain scholarly sources, such as JSTOR.
Read this short article or watch this brief video to learn more about scholarly sources.
Watch this helpful video to dive even deeper into the topic.
Peer-reviewed
(or refereed)
The peer-review process takes scholarly articles one step further. It means that prior to publication, the article was thoroughly assessed by other experts - or peers - in the same field. If it meets certain standards and the information is sound, then it may be published; if not, it may be sent back to the author for revisions.
When using the Library's online catalog or many databases like EBSCOhost, there is an option to filter search results to Peer Reviewed only. This option is typically located on the left-hand side of the page.
View this infographic or watch this short video to learn more about the peer-review process.
Information Timeline
Information Timeline
information timeline.pngInformation Timeline Graphic by adstarkel. Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Scroll inside the box.
Identify Bias
Identify Bias
Scroll inside the box
URLs (or Domains)
URLs (or Domains)
.edu
.org
.com
.net
.gov
.mil
Educational institution
Nonprofit organization
Commercial business
Network provider (and other)
U.S. government entity
US military organization
Generally considered credible
May include bias
Use with extreme caution
Use with extreme caution
Generally acceptable for research papers
Generally acceptable for research papers
Google Search Tips
Google Search Tips
You can limit Google results to a specific domain.
For example, to find information about the effects exercise has on mental health from educational institutions only, you would search:
exercise and mental health site:.edu
You can limit search results to a single site.
For example, to find information on the same topic but found only on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site, you would search:
exercise and mental health site:cdc.gov
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
What is Wikipedia?
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia freely available to anyone on the web. Its content is written and edited collaboratively by anonymous volunteers, and anyone can contribute.
Pros
May be used to introduce a new topic
Broad range of topics
Pages are nicely organized and easy to use
Cross-referenced to related information
Cons
Content can be edited by anyone at anytime
Info may not be accurate or verified by experts
Articles vary in quality and content
Errors may go unnoticed for days up to years
Bottom Line
Wikipedia does not meet the criteria of a credible source and should not be cited when writing a research paper. Wikipedia itself even says it's not a reliable source.
However, it can be a beneficial place to start to gain a general understanding of a topic. It can also direct you to sources that are reliable. These links are found at the end of an article, under the sections:
References, Cited sources, Further reading, and External links.
These links should be evaluated as you would any other source.
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
