Research Tutorial
- Library Research Tutorial
- What Is a Thesis Statement?
- Topic Development
- Improve Your Research Question
- Good and Bad Research Questions
- Video Review
- Sources for Background Reading
- Using AI for Background Reading
- What about Wikipedia?
- Related Terms
- Subject Terms
- Boolean Searching
- Advanced Searching Techniques
- Definition of "Scholarly"
- Subject Guides
- Individual Databases
- Open Access Resources
- Google Scholar
- USMAI Book Search
- Evaluation of Sources
- Academic Writing
- Writing Resources
- Citing Sources
- Citation Formats
- Citation Resources
- Academic Integrity
- Research on the Job
Evaluating Sources
Once you locate a resource that appears to be relevant to your research, you must evaluate it to make sure it is appropriate for your assignment. In some cases, articles from trade journals or websites can be used, but many times your professor will require your research comes from scholarly journals. The evaluation of any source should include critical criteria and checklists that will be outlined in this module.
For an overview, please see this video from Western University on using the CRAAP test for evaluating sources:
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- Last Updated: Sep 24, 2024 3:51 PM
- URL: https://libguides.umgc.edu/research-tutorial
ENG 3560 - Writing Workshop: Evaluating Sources
- Finding Sources
- Evaluating Sources
- Citing Sources
Identifying Quality Information
People write for many different reasons - to inform, entertain, persuade, mislead, satirize, describe, etc. and the quality of the information can depend on the reason it was written or shared. Information changes as new facts, data, and knowledge comes to light. In an academic assignment, it is important to use information that is reliable, accurate, objective , and up-to-date. You will need to evaluate each source you locate, to determine if it is something that will support or contradict your thesis and/or topic. You will look at more sources than you need, and that is okay, and encouraged! The more sources you read, the more informed you are about the topic and can pick the best resources for your assignment.
Below is a list of videos, eBooks, and websites that can help you evaluate information and sources.
- Evaluating Information: Media Sources - Video Playlist 6 part video series Learn strategies for evaluating sources whether you find them on the Internet, in the library, or in the library’s databases.
- Evaluating Sources Using the SIFT Model - eBook "One of the biggest challenges that writers face is finding credible sources. Mike Caulfield created the SIFT acronym to describe four moves that writers should make to evaluate their sources."
- Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research by Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University Libraries - eBook Section 6: Evaluating Information includes chapters on thinking critically, evaluating for relevancy and credibility, and identifying degree of bias.
- How to Spot Fake News Infographic "IFLA has made this infographic with eight simple steps (based on FactCheck.org’s 2016 article How to Spot Fake News) to discover the verifiability of a given news-piece in front of you." -- IFLA
What Does Peer Review Mean?
Peer Review is "the process by which an academic journal passes a paper submitted for publication to independent experts, or others in the same occupation, for comments on its suitability and worth." Reviewers will evaluate the article for quality, credibility, and accuracy. - Oxford English Dictionary
There are different types of Peer Review:
- Authors and reviewers both know each other’s identities and affiliations
- Authors do not know who the reviewers are
- Reviewers know the identities and affiliations of the authors
- Reviewers do not know who the authors are
- All indicators are removed (names and affiliations)
Not all journals are peer-reviewed - verify a journal is peer-reviewed by checking the author guidelines and publication information on the journal's website (a simple Google search of the journal title will work). Peer-reviewed journals do contain information that is itself not peer-reviewed, such as editorials, opinions, or letters.
Remember to evaluate the article, not just the journal!
- Video: Peer Review in 3 Minutes by NCSU Libraries
- Video: All About Peer Review by CSUDH Library
- Video: Identify a Peer Reviewed Article by USC Libraries
Study Help: Evaluating Information - University of South Australia
People write for many different reasons - to inform, entertain, persuade, mislead, satirize, describe, etc. and the quality of the information can depend on the reason it was written or shared. Information changes as new facts, data, and knowledge comes to light. In an academic assignment, it is important to use information that is reliable, accurate, objective , and up-to-date. You will need to evaluate each source you locate, to determine if it is something that will support or contradict your thesis and/or topic. You will look at more sources than you need, and that is okay, and encouraged! The more sources you read, the more informed you are about the topic and can pick the best resources for your assignment.
The video below, created and produced by the University of South Australia Librarians, provides tips on evaluating information using the C.R.A.A.P. test.
Study Help: Scholarly Sources Explained - University of South Australia
A scholarly article, sometimes referred to as a peer-reviewed article, is one that's been written by a scholar in the field. Its intended audience is other scholars in the area and it is intended to share research about a topic. When it is peer-reviewed, other scholars and experts in the field review the article and make recommendations before it is published.
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- Last Updated: Oct 18, 2024 8:56 AM
- URL: https://guides.libraries.wright.edu/eng3560
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