Evaluating information sources is an important part of the research and critical thinking process.
Here are some reasons why you should evaluate your sources (even sources you find through the library!):
Keep in mind that it is NOT necessary to read an entire source before you decide to use it in your paper.
To get a better idea of what sections of a source are relevant to your research, you should:
Source evaluation is the cornerstone of credible research. It's essential for you to develop this skill to ensure the quality and reliability of the information you incorporate into your work.
With any source that you find, be sure to ask yourself the following questions:
Just because information is published in a book, journal article or on the web, does not guarantee that it is accurate.
Questions to Ask:
The currency of a resource is important because information from older sources may be outdated, inaccurate or superseded by more recent publications.
Questions to Ask:
Think about if the information adequately covers the subject. Look for a statement describing the purpose of the source.
Questions to Ask:
CRAAP is an acronym for the general categories of criteria that can be used to evaluate information you find.
Developed at the Meriam Library at California State University-Chico, the CRAAP Test is a list of questions to keep in mind as you evaluate your sources.