As you are doing your research, make sure you evaluate the quality and usefulness of the sources you consult. To do this, have a think about some key quality criteria that will help you work out if the source is a good one to use. The video and checklist below will help you do this.
Video:
Checklist:
Currency
- Is the source up to date? Does it need to be for your needs?
- When was it published - can you easily find this information?
Reliability
- Has your source been officially published?
- Has it been reviewed (by a publisher or peer-reviewed for articles)?
- Is the content backed up with references to other sources that support it?
Authority
- Who wrote it? What is their background and qualifications?
- Do you trust that they are qualified to write about the topic?
Purpose
- Why was this source written?
- Do you trust the purpose behind it?
- Does the author want to share research or contribute to the understanding of a topic, for example?
- Is it trying to sell you a point of view or product (and if so, you will need to be aware of this if you do use it in your research)?
