Evaluate your sources
- Tips: How to Critically Analyze Information Sources.
A guide to the critical questions you should ask when you consider the appropriateness of a particular book, article, media resource, or Web site for your research. - Evaluating Web Resources (Source Evaluation Checklist)
Lists ways to analyze the Web sites you find.
How to Identify Scholarly Journal Articles
Evaluating the sources you find is a crucial step in the process of scholarly research. The questions you ask about books, periodical articles, or multimedia sources are similar whether you're looking at a citation to the item or have the item in hand.
Read: Distinguishing Scholarly from Non-Scholarly Periodicals: A Checklist of Criteria.
Shows how to evaluate periodicals by looking at their format, intended audience, and appearance.
How to assess non-scholarly sources
Is there useful and valid information in non-scholarly sources, such as blogs, newspapers, and magazines? Of course!
This guide will help guide you interrogate sources for accuracy, authority, and point of view:
Evaluating News Sources -- * ever more critically important *
Infographic: Tips for Spotting Fake News
How to Spot Fake News
- Consider the Source - Click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission, and its contact info.
- Read Beyond - Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story?
- Check the Author - Do a quick search on the author. Are they credible? Are they real?
- Supporting Sources? - Click on those links. Determine if the info given actually supports the story.
- Check the Date - Reposting old news stories doesn't mean they're relevant to current events.
- Is it a Joke? - If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure.
- Check your Biases - Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgment.
- Ask the Experts - Ask a librarian or consult a fact-checking site.