Published on June 2, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan. The sources you use are an important component of your research. It’s important to evaluate the sources you’re considering using, in order to: You should have a clear idea of your own research question or topic and
think critically when evaluating sources. Evaluating the credibility of a source is an important way of sifting out misinformation and determining whether you should use it in your research. Useful approaches include the
CRAAP test and lateral reading. One of the best ways to evaluate source credibility is the CRAAP
test. This stands for: How you evaluate a source using these criteria will depend on your subject and focus. It’s important to understand the types of sources and how you should use them in your field of research. Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it to other sources. This allows
you to: If a source is using methods or drawing conclusions that are incompatible with other research in its field, it may not be reliable. Rather than taking these figures at face value, you decide to determine the accuracy of the source’s claims by cross-checking them with official statistics such as census reports and figures compiled by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Immigration Statistics. This way, you can assess whether the source is representing the data accurately, or cherry-picking to give a misleading picture of the situation. Evaluating a source’s relevanceHow you evaluate the relevance of a source will depend on your topic, and on where you are in the research process. Preliminary evaluation helps you to pick out relevant sources in your search, while in-depth evaluation allows you to understand how they’re related. Preliminary evaluationAs you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, you can use preliminary evaluation to determine which sources might be relevant. This is especially important when you’re surveying a large number of sources (e.g., in a literature review or systematic review). One way to do this is to look at paratextual material, or the parts of a work other than the text itself.
You can also read abstracts, prefaces, introductions, and conclusions. These will give you a clear idea of the author’s intentions, the parameters of the research, and even the conclusions they draw. Preliminary evaluation is useful as it allows you to:
While this preliminary evaluation is an important step in the research process, you should engage with sources more deeply in order to adequately understand them. Note: When using databases or search engines, you can search keywords using Boolean operators and sort results by “relevance.” This will provide results based on the article’s title or how many times a keyword appears in a source. While this is a good first step, it can’t tell you for sure if a source is actually relevant to your research. You should carefully read the source to determine this.In-depth evaluationBegin your in-depth evaluation with any landmark studies in your field of research, or with sources that you’re sure are related to your research topic. As you read, try to understand the connections between the sources. Look for:
Even sources whose conclusions you disagree with can be relevant, as they can strengthen your argument by offering alternative perspectives. Evaluating a source’s argumentsEvery source should contribute to the debate about its topic by taking a clear position. This position and the conclusions the author comes to should be supported by evidence from direct observation or from other sources. Most sources will use a mix of primary and secondary sources to form an argument. It is important to consider how the author uses these sources. A good argument should be based on analysis and critique, and there should be a logical relationship between evidence and conclusions. To assess an argument’s strengths and weaknesses, ask:
Situating a source in relation to other sources (lateral reading) can help you determine whether the author’s arguments and conclusions are reliable and how you will respond to them in your own writing. Frequently asked questions about evaluating sourcesWhat is lateral reading? Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it with other sources. This allows you to:
What makes a source credible? A credible source should pass the CRAAP test and follow these guidelines:
What is the CRAAP test? The CRAAP test is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are considering using. It is an important component of information literacy. The CRAAP test has five main components:
What is the difference between a scholarly and a popular source? Scholarly sources are written by experts in their field and are typically subjected to peer review. They are intended for a scholarly audience, include a full bibliography, and use scholarly or technical language. For these reasons, they are typically considered credible sources. Popular sources like magazines and news articles are typically written by journalists. These types of sources usually don’t include a bibliography and are written for a popular, rather than academic, audience. They are not always reliable and may be written from a biased or uninformed perspective, but they can still be cited in some contexts. Sources in this articleWe strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below. This Scribbr article
Is this article helpful?You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote... How can you determine which sources are appropriate?Determining which sources are appropriate to use. What is it about? ... . What is the subject area focus? ... . Are you looking for recent information? ... . What kind of source is it? ... . Is it scholarly? ... . What type of article is it? ... . If it is a research study, what type is it?. What factors should you consider when selecting a source for your research?Here are the major factors:. Subject matter. Some databases are multidisciplinary, but others focus on a particular discipline or subject matter. ... . Reliability of information. ... . Time span. ... . Geographic coverage. ... . Availability of material. ... . Language of a user interface and contents. ... . The usability of a database and the available tools.. What factors make a source reliable to use in your research project?How to identify a credible source. The information should be up-to-date and current.. The source should be relevant to your research.. The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching.. The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased.. What are some factors to consider in determining the credibility of a source?It is important to be able to identify which sources are credible. This ability requires an understanding of depth, objectivity, currency, authority, and purpose. Whether or not your source is peer-reviewed, it is still a good idea to evaluate it based on these five factors.
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