Critically
Evaluating Sources
Author
- What
are the author's credentials--institutional affiliation
(where he or she works), educational background, past
writings, or experience? Is the book or article written
on a topic in the author's area of expertise?
- Have
you seen the author's name cited in other sources or
bibliographies? Respected authors are cited frequently by
other scholars. For this reason, always note those names
that appear in many different sources.
- Is
the author associated with a reputable institution or
organization? What are the basic values or goals of the
organization or institution?
Date of Publication
- When was the source published? This date is often located
on the face of the title page below the name of the
publisher. If it is not there, look for the copyright
date on the reverse of the title page. On Web pages, the
date of the last revision is usually at the bottom of the
home page, sometimes every page.
- Is the source current or out-of-date for your topic?
Topic areas of continuing and rapid development, such as
the sciences, demand more current information. On the
other hand, topics in the humanities often require
material that was written many years ago. At the other
extreme, some news sources on the Web now note the hour
and minute that articles are posted on their site.
Publisher
- Note the publisher. If the source is published by a
university press, it is likely to be scholarly. Although
the fact that the publisher is reputable does not
necessarily guarantee quality, it does show that the
publisher may have high regard for the source being
published.
Title of Journal
- Is this a scholarly or a popular journal? This
distinction is important because it indicates different
levels of complexity in conveying ideas.