Canvas Content Repository: Evaluating Sources

Accurate sources rely on the objective interpretation of evidence. Scientific reports, for example, often include a methodology section that describes the research process to validate the author’s conclusions. These types of sources typically are peer reviewed, meaning their content has been reviewed by experts on the topic.

Investigating a source’s references will help you assess its accuracy. Ask yourself:

• Is the information provided specific?
• For real world topics are the  data and information based on observations, measurements, analyses, interpretations and conclusions?
• For more creative topics like in arts & humanities, what are the recording names, and the dates and places creative works, ideas, and opinions originated from?
• In all cases, all information should be verifiable. Are conclusions based on research or actual figures that can be checked in other sources?
• Are methods of scientific research explained in such a way that it could be reproduced?
• Are sources of information listed in foot/end notes, bibliographies, or lists of references? How reliable are the cited sources?

The date that an article or any other source was published can be crucial to your research. If your topic is tied to subjects that change very quickly, such as law, medicine, science, or technology, a recent date is important.

Currency is determined by the date the source was created. Depending on your subject, a source’s currency may determine its usefulness. In the science and technology disciplines especially, advances are made at a rapid pace, which means past results quickly become dated or discredited. But new isn’t always better.  Sometimes older sources may be required to better understand current advances on a given subject.

• In all cases, there should be some indication of the date of the material. If research results are given, consider not only the date of the publication but also when the research was actually conducted.
• In the arts and humanities, currency needs to be judged as appropriate. In some cases, a study written years ago may be essential to understanding.
• Consider whether or not the timeliness of the information will affect its usefulness.
• It is important for information found on the web to be up-to-date. 
• There should be some indication of the date of the material, but be aware that the "Last updated" date of the web page may differ from the date of the content.
• You may need to check three dates on a website, the date the page was last updated, the date of publication, and the date of the research or statistics used.
• Also note, many web pages show today's date-- which may not be the date of last update.

The value of a source depends on its relevance to your research question. First consider how much the resource covers.

• For background information, try an overview article or encyclopedia entry.
• For more in-depth information, you’ll want to consult sources that discuss your specific research topic.

Closely analyzing what a resource does or doesn’t discuss will help you choose sources that align with your research need.

Objectivity relates to a resource’s purpose and point of view. When a source is objective, it means the creator uses evidence rather than personal opinion to reach logical conclusions. Biased sources, on the other hand, may present evidence in a way that supports predetermined conclusions. Other sources even may intentionally distort the facts to poke fun at a person or event.

 Even experts can have an agenda for producing articles and books, so you need to figure out the purpose for the material.

• Authors often have their own agendas, Is it to sell products, influence legislation or capture converts? =When using any information resource, you must decide whether the information is sufficiently objective for your purpose or whether it is biased. Of course a highly biased presentation can be included in scholarly research as long as that bias is described and weighed against alternative views or interpretations.
• Is there any advertising or solicitation for donations associated with the source? This  financial support may skew the subject coverage by the publication.
• Does the author provide more than one point of view?
• Does the writing use inflammatory or biased language?

INVESTIGATE the Source

Find information about the source from other sources. Ask questions like:

• Is this a reputable publisher?
• What is the author's expertise on this topic?
• Who funded the publication?

Investigating a source can help you contextualize the information and uncover hidden biases. You want to know if the economics article you're reading was written by a Nobel laureate economist. You also want to know if the video you're watching about the health benefits of milk was put out by the dairy industry. It isn't because the Nobel prize winner is always right about everything or because you can never trust the dairy industry, but knowing that context impacts how you are going to approach the information.

FIND Trusted Coverage

Sometimes the article or video you found doesn't matter as much as the claim it's making. In that case, choose some keywords to search. If it's a current event, try using the news filter on your search engine.

• Can you find at least one, but preferably more, trusted source that's reporting on the claim?
• Do all the sources seem to agree on the claim?
• Is there controversy around it, with different sources making conflicting arguments?

Knowing whether a claim is widely accepted or still hotly debated provides more context for you to use as you evaluate it.

TRACE Claims Back to the Original Context

Track the facts or data back to the original source to make sure they weren't taken out of context. Some things to consider:

• A video shows two people fighting. Is there a longer version? Was part of the video deleted? What happened before filming started?
• News articles reporting on new research may, intentionally or unintentionally, misinterpret the research. Find the article and read it yourself.
• A photograph may be real, but may be presented with a falsified caption. Do a reverse image search to see where it really came from. 

The context in which something happened or information was created influences its meaning, but many things online are taken out of context for a variety of reasons. Understanding that original context will help you evaluate your information effectively.