Evaluating Your Sources

4 W’s: Who, What, When, Why?

Why evaluate?
1. Because there is “bad” information out there
o Out of date, incomplete, incorrect, misleading, deceptive, biased
o Can’t tell just from appearances
2. Better sources = better paper = better grades
3. Critical thinking = better paper = better grades
4. A skill that makes a difference in consumer choices, health decisions, politics, and
every area of life.
4 Evaluation Factors:

Who? (Who is responsible for the source?)

 Author credentials available?
 Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
What? (What kind of source is this?)
 Is this a scholarly/peer reviewed source?
 Are proper research methods followed?
 Are proper citation/documentation methods followed?
When? (Is the source up-to-date enough?)
 Does the topic you are researching require current data?
 When was the information authored/created or last updated?
Why? (What was the creator’s purpose for creating the source?)
 Is there a discernable bias or agenda? Misinformation or propaganda?
Center for Learning and Technology
SUNY Empire State College -1- 7/20/09
  More information on identifying agenda/bias: http://tinyurl.com/infoeval

Center for Learning and Technology

SUNY Empire State College -2- 7/20/09