Source Evaluation - 1) Currency

Currency

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:

The currency of a source helps determine if the information in your sources is up to date. When doing research it is important that the currency of your sources matches your topic. To determine the timeframe that is appropriate for your assignment, carefully read through your assignment instructions and think about the types of sources that you need. Currency is important when dealing with recent events where information might quickly change and in fields that new information is constantly being published.

WHAT TO DO:

Review the examples and visual aid that explains the process.
Answer the self-check questions at the end.
Go to the next page of this module, Relevancy.

Questions to Determine Currency

When was the information published or posted?

- The general rule is to stick with research published within the last 5 years for subject matter in fields that are constantly changing. However, if your assignment has specific publication date requirements, make sure to follow them.
Has the information been updated or revised?
- Look for publication or copyright dates.
Is the information up-to-date for your topic?
- Is your topic about a current event or issue or something from the past? This can be a good deciding factor for choosing sources.
Are links in online articles functional?
- If links are broken, that is a sign that an article has not been recently updated.

"News You Can Use" or "Past Its Prime"?

Is My Source Current? News You Can Use 1) Know the currency requirements outlined in your assignment. Some assignments require sources published in recent years, while others might require you to look at the history of a topic. 2) Make sure the information in your source has been created or updated recently. If the update fits your assignment guidelines, you are on the right track. 3) Use sources with up-to-date links, videos, data, images, and information. Past Its Prime 1) Don't assume that any article will meet the currency requirements for your assignment. Outdated information can lead to losing points and furthering the spread of misinformation. 2) Don't use sources that were clearly created or last updated outside of the guidelines of your assignment. 3) Don't use sources that have broken links, outdated images or data.

Helpful Scenarios

You are creating a presentation on augmented reality and its uses in the future of medicine. You can use a mix of academic and scholarly sources to support your argument. Which of the following sources would be appropriate to use for your presentation?

A book in the library titled The Future of Augmented Reality that was published in 1986. The book outlines different ways augmented reality can be used, and even has a chapter about medicine and augmented reality. Is it a current or outdated source?

Outdated. Technology has changed since the 80s, and your topic is on how augmented reality will be used in the future. This is not a useful source for your topic.

A webpage on augmented reality that has not been updated since 2010. Is this a current source?

Outdated. Sources on scientific topics need to be up to date because information in the field changes rapidly.

A clip from a 2017 TED Talk on the future of surgery and augmented reality. Is the currency of this video appropriate for your assignment?

Current. This video was published within the past five years and fits the assignment requirements.

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