By Susan Faivre (some slides from Mica Swyers) Critical Evaluation Hacker, D. (2009). Rules for Writers (6th ed.). Boston: Bedford. By Susan Faivre (some slides from Mica Swyers)

Determining if a source is scholarly Look for the following criteria: “Refereed” or “peer-reviewed” before publication Author is an academic, scientist Formal language and presentation Accurate citations Original research & interpretation Quotation from and analysis of primary sources Description of research methods and related research Hacker, D. (2009). Rules for Writers (6th ed.). Boston: Bedford.

Sources: Primary vs. Secondary Original documents First-hand evidence based on your own or someone else’s work or direct observation What are examples of primary sources? Commentaries Reports, descriptions, analyses, or commentary on the work of others How could you use secondary sources in a research paper? Hacker, D. (2009). Rules for Writers (6th ed.). Boston: Bedford. [Instructor notes]: Examples of primary sources would be letters, diaries, legislative bills, laboratory studies, field research reports, and eyewitness accounts. A mix of secondary and primary sources in a paper adds credibility and authority to your writing. Not only are you going to the original source itself, you are demonstrating that you have read and understand the other analyses and commentary on the same topic.

Guidelines for Evaluating a Secondary Source Ask these questions: Is the source authoritative? Is the source reliable? Is the source well known? Is the information well supported? Is the tone balanced? Is the source current? Ex. 1- Primary or Secondary evidence? Troyka, L. Q. (1996). Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Evaluating the Evidence (like CSI!) Is the evidence sufficient? Is the evidence representative? Is the evidence relevant? Is the evidence accurate? Are the claims qualified fairly, based on the evidence? Troyka, L. Q. (1996). Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. ‘

Evaluation: Reading the Argument What is author’s central claim/thesis? How does the author support this claim? Are statistics consistent with those that you encounter in other sources? Are there questionable assumptions? Does the author consider opposing arguments and refute them persuasively? Does the author fall prey to logical fallacies? (These will be covered in the next lesson.) Hacker, D. (2009). Rules for Writers (6th ed.). Boston: Bedford.

Checking for signs of bias Does the author have political leanings or religious affiliations that could affect objectivity? Is the author/publisher affiliated with a special-interest group that might see only one side of the issue? Are alternative views presented and addressed in a fair manner? Is there biased language? Hacker, D. (2009). Rules for Writers (6th ed.). Boston: Bedford.

In summary: Look at the author’s background information to determine if it is a scholarly source. Examine the author’s logic and argument (warrant, claim, backing, etc.) to arrive at his/her conclusion. Make sure that the author used sufficient amounts of well-documented evidence. Overall: How well did the author prove his or her point in a persuasive, logical manner? Ask yourself: Do you agree with the author’s argument? Why or why not? (Note your reasons—this will be important for critique writing.)