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Norwalk Campus Library

Norwalk ENG 1010: Composition

Evaluate Your Sources

Evaluating the quality and the credibility of the information you find is a crucial step in the research process. The questions you ask about books, periodical articles, multimedia titles, or webpages are similar whether you're looking at a citation to the item, a physical item in hand, or an electronic version on a computer. Use one or more of the methods outlined below to carefully evaluate the sources that you find.

The SIFT Method

 

STOP

  • Check your emotions
  • Do you know and trust the author, website, or source of the information?

 

INVESTIGATE THE SOURCE

  • Step away from the source and try to consider it objectively.
  • Use other websites to learn more about the author and the publisher(s) behind the source.
  • Consider whether the source has a particular bias.

 

FIND BETTER COVERAGE

  • Try to verify the claim the source makes by looking at other sources.
  • Seek out the best, most in-depth coverage of the information
  • Use library databases or reputable internet sites to find additional sources that corroborate or refute the claims made by the original source.

 

TRACE CLAIMS, QUOTATIONS, AND MEDIA TO THE ORIGINAL CONTEXT

  • Find the original context and gauge the accuracy of the version you saw
  • Search online news sites for relevant stories
  • Reverse image search to find the original image (if applicable)
  • Consult fact-checking websites such as Snopes.

The TRAAP Test

 

TIMELINESS: The "newness" of the information

  • When was the information published or posted?
  • Have there been new versions or editions since this was published?
  • How quickly does new research for this topic come out?
  • Does new research expand upon or replace old information for this topic?

BOTTOM LINE: Does this offer appropriately current or historical information?

 

RELEVANCE: Does the information matter?

  • Does the information help you accomplish the purpose of your work/paper? Does this easily relate to your topic?
  • Does this source meet all your information needs or assignment requirements?
  • Is this source written at an appropriate level for your intended audience?
  • Have you looked at a variety of sources? why is this source better than others?

BOTTOM LINE: Is this a source that adds value to your work? why is it worth including?

 

AUTHORITY: Who is the author? Who is the publisher?

  • What is their educational or professional background? What expertise do they have with this subject?
  • Where are they from? Where are they living now?
  • What political party do they belong to?
  • What organizations or causes do they support?
  • Can you see any bias in their work?

BOTTOM LINE: Can you trust this author and publisher to know what they are talking about?

 

ACCURACY: Is this information correct and reliable?

  • When were the sources published? Are they current or outdated?
  • Do the sources come from trustworthy authors or publishers?
  • If the source is based on original research, what methods were used to collect the data or information?
  • What is the sample size or population of the study? Is it large enough to be representative?
  • Are there any obvious weaknesses in the way data or information was gathered or analyzed?
  • Does the author provide adequate support for their conclusions?
  • Are sources listed or cited in the text?

BOTTOM LINE: Can you trust that this information is truthful?

 

PURPOSE: What are the intentions behind this information?

  • Is the information meant to entertain? Inform? Educate? Persuade? Sell?
  • Is the source populated with advertisements or photographs?
  • Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
  • Do the authors or publishers make their intentions clear
  • Is there evidence of bias: political, cultural, religious, ideological, personal?

BOTTOM LINE: Is this source objective and impartial or is it influenced by bias or hidden agendas?