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ENGL 01A Truesdale

College Composition and Reading

Source Evaluation

"Source Evaluation" (3:29) by USU Libraries is licensed under CC BY 3.0.

PROVEN

P.R.O.V.E.N. Source Evaluation by librarian Ellen Carey (2021), Santa Barbara City College, is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

The process of evaluating a source includes examining the source itself & examining other sources by:

  • Checking for previous work.
    • Has someone already fact-checked this source?
  • Finding the original source.
    • Who originally published the information and why?
  • Reading laterally.
    • ​​​​​​​What do other people say about this publication and author?
  • Circling back.
    • ​​​​​​​How can you revise your original search to yield better results?
  • Checking your own emotions.
    • ​​​​​​​Is your own bias affecting your evaluation?1

The questions below will help you think critically during the source evaluation process:

Purpose: How and why the source was created.

  • Why does this information exist?
    Why is it in this form (book, article, website, etc.)?
  • Who is the intended audience? 
  • Is the purpose clear?

Relevance: The value of the source for your needs.

  • How useful is this source in answering your question, supporting your argument, or adding to your knowledge?
  • Is the type and content of the source appropriate for your assignment?

Objectivity: The reasonableness and completeness of the information.

  • How thorough and balanced is this source?
  • Does it present fact or opinion?
  • How well do its creators acknowledge their point of view, represent other points of view fully, and critique them professionally?

Verifiability: The accuracy and truthfulness of the information.

  • How well do the creators of this source support their information with factual evidence, identify and cite their sources, and accurately represent information from other sources? 
  • Can you find the original source(s) of the information or verify facts in other sources? 
  • What do experts say about the topic?

Expertise: The authority of the authors and the source. 

  • Who created this source and what education and/or professional or personal experience makes them authorities on the topic?
  • How was the source reviewed before publication?
  • Do other experts cite this source or otherwise acknowledge the authority of its creators?

Newness: The age of the information.

  • Does your topic require current information? 
  • How up-to-date is this source and the information within it? 

1Based on Caulfield, Mike. "Four Moves and a Habit." Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers, 2017.