Evaluating SourcesEvaluating SourcesThis presentation was created using This presentation was created using

information from information from Teaching Information Teaching Information Literacy: 35 Practical, Standards-Based Literacy: 35 Practical, Standards-Based

Exercises for College Students.Exercises for College Students.

Types of Resources to EvaluateTypes of Resources to Evaluate

BooksBooks Periodicals Periodicals Web SitesWeb Sites

Evaluating BooksEvaluating Books

Criteria for Evaluating BooksCriteria for Evaluating Books

AuthorshipAuthorship CurrencyCurrency PurposePurpose RelevanceRelevance CoverageCoverage

Questions to Ask When Evaluating Questions to Ask When Evaluating BooksBooks

AuthorshipAuthorship

What are the author’s or authors’ What are the author’s or authors’ qualifications? (This can be qualifications? (This can be determined by examining determined by examining information on the title page, a list of information on the title page, a list of contributors, the introduction or contributors, the introduction or another introductory part of the another introductory part of the book. Information usually includes book. Information usually includes educational background and educational background and occupational information. Note: Don’t occupational information. Note: Don’t confuse authors with editors).confuse authors with editors).

CurrencyCurrency

When was the book published? (This When was the book published? (This information can be found on the front information can be found on the front or back of the title page of a book. or back of the title page of a book. When doing a research paper on a When doing a research paper on a topic that is time-sensitive, or when topic that is time-sensitive, or when you are using time-sensitive you are using time-sensitive information or data, you will need information or data, you will need current resources).current resources).

PurposePurpose

Why was this book written? Why was this book written? Who is the intended audience? (The Who is the intended audience? (The

answer to these questions can answer to these questions can typically be found in the Preface or typically be found in the Preface or Introduction of a book) Introduction of a book)

RelevanceRelevance

Does this book cover the same Does this book cover the same general subject as your paper? (For general subject as your paper? (For example, if the topic of your research example, if the topic of your research paper is “tuberculosis and paper is “tuberculosis and vaccination,” does the whole book vaccination,” does the whole book deal with the topic, or does a chapter deal with the topic, or does a chapter or two discuss the topic? You can or two discuss the topic? You can determine this by examining the determine this by examining the table of contents or index)table of contents or index)

Coverage (Related to Relevance)Coverage (Related to Relevance)

How much coverage does the book How much coverage does the book provide for your topic? (A book may provide for your topic? (A book may give only a few paragraphs of give only a few paragraphs of information on your topic. On the information on your topic. On the other hand, a book may provide other hand, a book may provide several pages of information several pages of information pertaining to your topic. In addition pertaining to your topic. In addition to reading the relevant parts of the to reading the relevant parts of the book, you can also check the table of book, you can also check the table of contents and index). contents and index).

Evaluating PeriodicalsEvaluating Periodicals

Criteria for Evaluating PeriodicalsCriteria for Evaluating Periodicals TitleTitle Frequency of PublicationFrequency of Publication AuthorshipAuthorship Length of ArticlesLength of Articles Article TitlesArticle Titles Intended AudienceIntended Audience PurposePurpose Availability of AbstractsAvailability of Abstracts Availability of ReferencesAvailability of References

Important:Important:

Before you can evaluate a Before you can evaluate a periodical, you need to periodical, you need to

know what type of know what type of periodical you’re using.periodical you’re using.

3 Major Categories of Periodicals3 Major Categories of Periodicals

Popular Magazines and NewspapersPopular Magazines and Newspapers Professional, Trade, and Industry Professional, Trade, and Industry

PeriodicalsPeriodicals Scholarly JournalsScholarly Journals

Evaluating Popular Magazines Evaluating Popular Magazines and Newspapersand Newspapers

Magazines and NewspapersMagazines and Newspapers

TitleTitle May have “magazine” May have “magazine” in the titlein the title

Publication Publication FrequencyFrequency

Weekly, bi-weekly, Weekly, bi-weekly, monthlymonthly

AuthorshipAuthorship Staff, freelance authors Staff, freelance authors or guest authorsor guest authors

Article LengthArticle Length Usually shortUsually short

Article TitlesArticle Titles Popular or catchy Popular or catchy article titlesarticle titles

Magazines and Newspapers Magazines and Newspapers (continued)(continued)

Intended Intended AudienceAudience

Non-expert readers, Non-expert readers, general publicgeneral public

Purpose Purpose To entertain, advertise, To entertain, advertise, inform to a certain extentinform to a certain extent

AbstractsAbstracts Articles do not have Articles do not have summarizing abstractssummarizing abstracts

ReferencesReferences Articles do not have Articles do not have references (works cited)references (works cited)

Evaluating Professional, Trade, Evaluating Professional, Trade, and Industry Periodicalsand Industry Periodicals

Professional, Trade, and Industry Professional, Trade, and Industry PeriodicalsPeriodicals

TitleTitle May have “news” or May have “news” or occupational termsoccupational terms

Publication Publication FrequencyFrequency

Weekly, biweekly, or Weekly, biweekly, or monthlymonthly

AuthorshipAuthorship Staff, freelance Staff, freelance authors, guest authors authors, guest authors

or professionalsor professionals

Article LengthArticle Length Usually shortUsually short

Article TitlesArticle Titles StraightforwardStraightforward

Professional, Trade, and Industry Professional, Trade, and Industry Periodicals (continued) Periodicals (continued)

Intended AudienceIntended Audience People associated People associated with a certain trade, with a certain trade,

industry or professionindustry or profession

PurposePurpose To address issues in a To address issues in a particular profession particular profession

or industryor industry

AbstractsAbstracts No summarizing No summarizing abstractsabstracts

ReferencesReferences No referencesNo references

Evaluating Scholarly JournalsEvaluating Scholarly Journals

Scholarly JournalsScholarly Journals

TitleTitle May have “journal” May have “journal” “quarterly” “bulletin” “quarterly” “bulletin”

or “review” in titleor “review” in title

Publication Publication FrequencyFrequency

Monthly, quarterly, or Monthly, quarterly, or semiannuallysemiannually

AuthorshipAuthorship Scholars, professors in Scholars, professors in universitiesuniversities

Article LengthArticle Length Long Long

Article TitleArticle Title Usually longUsually long

Scholarly Journals (continued)Scholarly Journals (continued)

Intended AudienceIntended Audience Scholars, college Scholars, college studentsstudents

PurposePurpose To report results of To report results of original research and original research and

informinform

AbstractsAbstracts Articles usually have Articles usually have an abstract at the an abstract at the

beginningbeginning

ReferencesReferences Articles have Articles have references at the endreferences at the end

Examples of PeriodicalsExamples of Periodicals

PopularPopular– TimeTime

Professional, Trade or IndustryProfessional, Trade or Industry– Air Conditioning, Heating, and Air Conditioning, Heating, and

Refrigeration NewsRefrigeration News ScholarlyScholarly

– JAMA: The Journal of the American JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical AssociationMedical Association

Evaluating Web SitesEvaluating Web Sites

Important:Important:Evaluation is especially important when it Evaluation is especially important when it

comes to Web sites. Many Web sites do not go comes to Web sites. Many Web sites do not go through the editorial process like books and through the editorial process like books and periodicals do. Thus, many Web sites are not periodicals do. Thus, many Web sites are not checked for quality prior to being uploaded to checked for quality prior to being uploaded to

the Web. the Web.

Criteria for Evaluating Web SitesCriteria for Evaluating Web Sites

Purpose/Intended AudiencePurpose/Intended Audience AuthorshipAuthorship Accuracy/ReliabilityAccuracy/Reliability CurrencyCurrency ObjectivityObjectivity Ease of UseEase of Use

Questions To Ask When Questions To Ask When Evaluating Web SitesEvaluating Web Sites

Purpose/Intended AudiencePurpose/Intended Audience

Why was this Web site created? (Purpose) Why was this Web site created? (Purpose) (This information may be found on the (This information may be found on the Web site’s home page or on the “About Web site’s home page or on the “About this site” page, if available)this site” page, if available)

For whom was this Web site created? (You For whom was this Web site created? (You may find out who is the intended audience may find out who is the intended audience by going to the home page or “About this by going to the home page or “About this site” page. Also, check URL site” page. Also, check URL suffix, .com, .edu, .gov, .org, etc.)suffix, .com, .edu, .gov, .org, etc.)

AuthorshipAuthorship

Is the author qualified to write Is the author qualified to write publicly about the topic or subject? publicly about the topic or subject? – Look for the author’s name. (May be on Look for the author’s name. (May be on

the home page)the home page)– Look for information regarding author’s Look for information regarding author’s

qualifications (Educational background, qualifications (Educational background, occupation. This may be found on the occupation. This may be found on the Web site, then you could check another Web site, then you could check another site to verify).site to verify).

Accuracy/ReliabilityAccuracy/Reliability

Are there spelling or grammatical Are there spelling or grammatical errors on this Web site?errors on this Web site?

Does the Web site have a list of Does the Web site have a list of works cited or links to other works cited or links to other resources that would verify the resources that would verify the information on the Web site?information on the Web site?

Would books and/or periodicals Would books and/or periodicals confirm the information or data on confirm the information or data on this Web site?this Web site?

CurrencyCurrency

When was the Web site created? When was the Web site created? When was the Web site last updated? When was the Web site last updated?

(The answer to the first two (The answer to the first two questions should be found at the questions should be found at the bottom of the home page of the Web bottom of the home page of the Web site).site).

Are there any dead-end links on the Are there any dead-end links on the Web site? Web site?

ObjectivityObjectivity

Is the Web site mostly factual or Is the Web site mostly factual or mostly opinionated? mostly opinionated?

Is the subject of the Web site a Is the subject of the Web site a controversial subject? controversial subject?

Is there hateful or inflammatory Is there hateful or inflammatory language used?language used?

Is the Web site part of or sponsored Is the Web site part of or sponsored by a company or organization? (This by a company or organization? (This can affect what is stated).can affect what is stated).

Ease of UseEase of Use

Can you navigate the site easily? (In Can you navigate the site easily? (In other words, can you go from one other words, can you go from one part of the site to another easily?)part of the site to another easily?)

Is there a search box on the home Is there a search box on the home page? page?

Is the Web site organized? (Some Is the Web site organized? (Some Web sites have a table of contents Web sites have a table of contents for organizing topics). for organizing topics).