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Evaluating, Writing and Citing |
A) Evaluating the information
It is very important to evaluate the information you have found. It doesn't matter if the material came from books, journal articles or the Internet, you must evaluate it critically. Information found on the Internet can be difficult to evaluate as it has not gone through the traditional publishing process and its authority and accuracy are often difficult to verify.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Authority
Is the author an expert in the field you are researching?
Is the author associated with a reputable organization?
Who is the publisher? Recognizable, educational, government? For example, if you need Canadian statistics for your research, look for publications from Statistics Canada
Has the journal article been published in a scholarly, refereed journal?
If the sources is from the Internet, it can be difficult to determine authorship for Web pages. It is always advisable to look for sites from educational institutions or governments. Does the author provide contact/biographical information?
Research Tip
When you find an author that has written on your topic, it is useful to see if he or she has written other books, articles or papers on the topic. Try searching for the author's name in library catalogues or journal databases.
Timeliness
When was the item published?
For your specific topic, is the information dated? Do you need current or historical information or both? Keep in mind that journal articles are often more current than books.
When was the web page last revised or updated?
Relevance
Does the item contribute to your knowledge of the topic?
Is the information given on the website actually related to your topic? Just because you found it in your search results does not mean that it's going to be useful!
Does it refute/support the arguments you are presenting? It is often useful to include in a meaningful way both materials that refute and that support your arguments.
Is there useful background information presented?
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Research Tip When you find a useful article on your topic, be sure to check the References and notes to see what research the author has consulted. This is your key to related research. |
Accuracy
Are the points of view represented providing a balanced look at the subject? Is one point of view represented more than others? Does this skew the accuracy or objectivity of the text?
What is the purpose of the information: to inform/educate/sell?
Are facts cited and References supplied so that the information can be verified in credible sources? Poorly documented information is immediately suspect.
For the Internet: be wary of documents posted on commercial sites (.com).
Coverage
Is there a section in the book useful to your research even if the entire book is not specifically about your topic? For example, a general book on youth problems may contain a chapter on teenage suicide.
Does the author let you know what is covered and what is excluded?
Who is included in this study, who is left out and what difference does it make?
Are points of view other than the author's acknowledged and discussed?
To learn more about evaluating information you find on the Internet
AU Library's How to Evaluate Internet Resources
Doing Research from a Distance