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: