Evaluating Information Resources

Books, Journals, Internet resources and other materials

Coverage

• Does it provide an overview of your topic or cover only one aspect?
• If focused on one aspect of your topic, is it one you want to include?
• Is the right time period covered?
• Does it contain new or unique information on your topic?

Relevance

• Is the material aimed at a specialized or a general audience?
• Is this source right for your needs?
• Or is it too elementary or advanced?
• Does the information provide evidence for your argument?
• Is the information verified by what you have found in other sources?

Authority

• Who is the author? Institutional affiliation, educational background, other publications, experience?
• Have the contents been checked for accuracy?
• Is there an editor to verify this?
• Is there a bibliography and footnotes to indicate that the author has consulted other sources?
• What point of view does the author or organization represent?
• Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?

Currency

• When was it published?
• If not current, is the information still valid?

For additional hints on evaluating information resources, see:

• Critically analyzing information sources

• Critical evaluation of resources

• Evaluating Information -Applying the CRAAP Test

• Evaluating Internet resources

• Using Primary Sources on the Web