Critical Evaluation of Information Sources

. In evaluating the credibility of an information source there are several key areas to consider:

the Authority of the author and the background of the publisher
the Objectivity of the author
the Quality of the work
the Currency of the work
the Relevancy of the work

The tables below provide a framework for investigating these aspects of an information source, whether it be an article in a journal or newspaper or encyclopedia; a book; a web site; a government document; a food container; or any other source upon which you're relying. Not all questions will apply in all situations, and not all responses need to be positive ones - this is not a scorecard. The questions are intended to help you think critically about information sources.

To evaluate authority:

Ask the Questions	Find Answers
Who is the author?	Most common places to find the name of the author: Title page (book or report) Title information at top of first page (articles, book chapters) End of the article (encyclopedias) Top or bottom of page (web pages)
What are the author's credentials? Relevant university degree Institutional affiliation (where does he or she work?) Relevant field or employment experience Past writings	Examine the item for information about the author Look in biographical sources Search the web for the author's home page Search article indexes and the online catalog for other works by the author
What is the author's reputation among his/her peers? Has she been cited in articles, books or bibliographies? Is he mentioned in your textbook or by your professor?	Use indexes that track citations to find articles citing your author Try Web of Science and click on Cited Reference Search Try Google Scholar and enter the author's name and use the "cited by ..." link
Who is the publisher? Commercial, trade, institutional, other? Known for quality and/or scholarly publications? Basic values or goals? Specialization?	Examine the publisher's web site Mergent Online will help determine if a publisher is owned by a larger entity. Enter the publisher's name; then click on "Subsidiaries." The Writer's Market (Knight Reference Desk) will give brief descriptions of publishers and the material they seek.
Is the author associated with a reputable institution or organization? What is the organizational mission? What are its basic values or goals Is it national or international? Who makes up its membership?	Examine the institution's or organization's web site Check the Encyclopedia of Associations (Knight Reference Desk) and Research Centers Directory (Knight Reference Desk)

To evaluate objectivity:

Ask the Questions	Find Answers
Does the author state the goals for this publication? Are they to inform, explain, or advocate? Are they to sell a service or serve as a soapbox?	Skim the foreword, preface, abstract and/or introduction of the work.
Does the author exhibit a particular bias? Is there a commitment to a point of view? Does she acknowledge bias? Are both sides of a controversial issue presented?	Skim the abstract and/or introduction Skim the author's conclusions Examine the work for Inflammatory language Images or graphic styles (e.g., text in color or boldface type) to persuade you of the author's point of vie Author's arguments or supporting facts A bibliography that includes multiple points of view

Does the information appear to be valid and well-researched? Are arguments and conclusions supported by evidence? Are opposing points of view addressed? Are authoritative sources cited?	Verify facts and statistics with a reliable source Examine cited sources for authority and objectivity

To evaluate quality:

Ask the Questions	Find Answers
Is the information well-organized? Logical structure Main points clearly presented Main ideas unified by overarching idea Text flows well (not choppy or stilted) Author's argument is not repetitive	Look at the table of contents to get an idea of the work, and skim the text itself.
Has the author used good grammar? Are there spelling or typographical errors?
Are the graphics (images, tables, charts, diagrams) appropriate? Clearly labelled Not sensational Understandable without explanatory text
If a web page, is the information reliable?	Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask (UC Berkeley)

To evaluate currency:

Ask the Questions	Find Answers
When was it published?	Look for a publication or copyright date on the Title page (books, journals) Reverse of the title page (books) Cover (journals, magazines, newspapers) Table of contents (journals, magazines) Bottom of the page (web sites) Dates on web pages may indicate When the page was created When the page was published on the web When the page was last revised
Is your topic one that requires current information?	Topic areas requiring the most up-to-date information include Science Medicine Current events
Has this source been updated in a subsequent edition?	Search WorldCat for a more recent edition

To evaluate relevance:

Ask the Questions	Find Answers

Is the content appropriate for your research topic or assignment? Is the source scholarly or popular? Can you identify the format/medium (e.g., book, article, government report, web site, etc.) Is the content primary, secondary, or bibliographic?	Scholary vs Popular guide Primary sources include first-hand accounts of an event, diaries, photographs, etc Secondary sources include books or articles that come after the event and analyze it Bibliographic sources include encyclopedias and dictionaries that provide background

This guide was originally written by Colleen Bell. It has been revised and updated by Paul Frantz, pfrantz@uoregon.edu, University of Oregon Libraries.

October 2012