Evaluating Web Pages: Questions to consider - Cornell University
Evaluating Internet Sources - Georgetown University
Evaluating Media Sources - Kennesaw State University
Evaluating Social Media - Johns Hopkins
In academic writing, you need to think critically about your sources. Consider the credibility and reliability and trustworthiness of your sources. While you read, ask yourself:
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WHO |
Who wrote this? Do the author's credentials, education, past writings or experience lend credibility to the source? Does the author cite credible, authoritative sources? |
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WHO |
Who is the intended reader? Is this source written for a popular audience? A scholarly audience? A consumer? A child? |
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WHAT |
What is the purpose of this source? Does it aim to inform, persuade, sell, or entertain? Is the information useful to you? Is this source extensive or marginal in its coverage of your topic? |
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WHEN |
When was this source written? Does the date of creation affect the usefulness of this source? Is currency important to your topic? |
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WHERE |
Where does this source appear? In an academic journal? In a popular magazine? In an online blog? Does where it appears affect your sense of its value? |
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WHY |
Why was the source created? Does it have a specific bias? Is the author trying to persuade you to accept a particular point of view? How might you use a biased source in your own academic writing? |
Not sure if the article, book, or other source you found will work for your assignment? Use the video below to apply the ACT UP method to evaluate the source.
ACT UP Source Evaluation from UCSB Library on Vimeo.