Research CM 2300 Evaluating Sources

Evaluating Sources True or False 1. If I have many sources for my research, then I will have a good report.

Evaluating Sources True or False 2. I can judge a book’s usefulness fairly accurately without actually reading it.

Evaluating Sources True or False 3. Employees of a company are always good sources of information about that company.

Evaluating Sources True or False 4. If my source is written in 2002 or earlier, then I should not use it.

Evaluating Sources True or False 5. The longest word in the English language has only 6 letters.

Evaluating Sources Critical Evaluation: Books To critically evaluate a book as a source, consider: Structure Purpose Audience Author

Evaluating Sources Structure Table of Contents: Headings? Sub-headings? Introduction (or Preface): Intent of the author? Appendices, diagrams, tables, figures, etc. Index at back: What topics appear most often?

Evaluating Sources Purpose Title and first few paragraphs Bias? Vested interest?

Evaluating Sources Audience Narrow or broad?

Evaluating Sources Author Credible: knowledgeable and experienced? objective? respected?

Evaluating Sources Structure Purpose Audience Author By doing these checks Structure Purpose Audience Author Then you should be able to determine if the book is useful for your research.

Evaluating Sources Critical Evaluation: Journals Evaluate a journal article in the same way: structure, purpose, audience, and author. In addition to these 4 checks, use journal abstracts.

Evaluating Sources Critical Evaluation: Journals Abstracts: the abstract will indicate if the complete article relates to your topic. After reading the abstract, if you are still not sure, then read the Background or the Introduction.

Evaluating Sources Point to Remember Just because a book or an article is about your topic, it is not necessarily a GOOD source.

Evaluating Sources Is your source valid? 1. Objective and unbiased? The Tobacco Growers Association discussing nicotine as an addictive drug that also causes cancer: valid?

Evaluating Sources Is your source valid? 2. Where did your source get his/her information? “ “An informed source has told Al Jazeera that the blast……” Can we rely on anonymous sources all the time?

Evaluating Sources Is your source valid? 3. What were the research methods and the results of the authors of your source? Not all doctors can be experts on cosmetic surgery or dental surgery, etc.

Evaluating Sources Is your source valid? 4. Is the research current? Is currency required in your paper? For some subjects, the latest statistics are important, but for others, the “most recent” is not always needed. Eg: an account of the first flight to the moon, written at that time, is still a valid source.

Evaluating Sources Summary Your source must be: 1. Relevant to your topic 2. From a credible author 3. Valid 4. Current, if necessary 5. Varied

Evaluating Sources TRUE or FALSE 1. If I have many sources for my research, then I will have a good report. FALSE

Evaluating Sources TRUE or FALSE 2. I can judge a book’s usefulness fairly accurately without actually reading it. TRUE

Evaluating Sources TRUE or FALSE 3. Employees of a company are always good sources of information about that company. FALSE

Evaluating Sources TRUE or FALSE 4. If my source is written in 2002 or earlier, then I should not use it. FALSE

Evaluating Sources TRUE or FALSE 5. The longest word in the English language has only 6 letters. TRUE

Evaluating Sources TRUE or FALSE The longest word in the English language is SMILES. It begins with an S, it ends with an S, and there is a MILE in between.