When you encounter any kind of source, consider:
- Authority - Who is the author? What is their point of view?
- Purpose - Why was the source created? Who is the intended audience?
- Publication & format - Where was it published? In what medium?
- Relevance - How is it relevant to your research? What is its scope?
- Date of publication - When was it written? Has it been updated?
- Documentation - Did they cite their sources? Who did they cite?
Explore more at: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/evaluating-resources
Evaluating Different Types of Sources
Content
Books
- Read the preface of the book to get an idea of the author's intent
- Scan the table of contents to get an idea of what material it will cover
- Is there a bibliography included?
- Read the chapters that are relevant to your topic
Articles
- Read the abstract of the article
- Skim the article for relevant information
- Read the bibliography or works cited list at the end of the article
- Read the article to summarize
Intended Audience
- What type of audience is the source written for?
Bias/ Objective Reasoning
- Is the information being covered fact, opinion or propaganda? Facts can be verified.
- Does the information appear well researched?
- Is the author point of view objective and impartial? Do you notice the use of emotional language?
Explore more at: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/evaluating-resources
