Evaluating Sourcesor

I know it isn’t always true or accurate, but it IS information….

Intellectual WholenessInformation Knowledge

Applies to facts told, read, or

communicated that may be unorganized

and even unrelated.

An organized body of

information, or the

comprehension and

understanding consequent on

having acquired and organized a

body of facts.

To LearnVERB

Knowledge acquired by systematic study in any field of scholarly application.

The act or process of acquiring knowledge or skill.

"learning." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 27 Aug. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/learning>.

Evaluating SourcesURL

0 .com or .eduThe work of an individual without authority

1 .com or .orgPop up ads / organization or company not well known

2 edu, .com or .orgCredentials are clear on the website

3 .gov government,

.org, or .comPosted by a reputable, well-known organization.edumaintained by university or faculty

Evaluating SourcesCurrency

0 No date indicating when the information was published or revised.

1 [Internet] The date given is three years old; no revisions have been made.

2 [Internet] The site has been created and updated within the past three years.

3 [Internet] The site was created or updated within the past six months. All sources are current.

3

2

1

0

Evaluating SourcesRelevance

Unrelated to the topic or audience.

Somewhat related to the topic, but not useful or appropriate to the audience.

Related to the topic, possibly as an overview or background information; related to the audience.

Complete and related to the topic; related to its intended audience.

3

2

1

0

Evaluating SourcesAuthority

Not named.

Named, but spelling and other errors indicate a lack of knowledge and thought.

Named, but credentials and contact information are incomplete.

Name and credentials are given and indicate expertise in the field. Contact information has also been included.

Evaluating SourcesAccuracy

0 Incorrect; biased opinions stated as fact.

1 Out-of-date and contradicts other sources.

2 Information was accurate, but undocumented.

3 Information is reliable, error-free, and correctly cited.

Evaluating SourcesPurpose

Personal: whiny, argumentative, argumentative.

Sell, persuade, promote.

2 Factual information with some personal opinion included.

3 Supports scholarly research with factual information.

You never have to try to navigate the rocky slope of research alone…

We are here to help!

Robert Sears Joni Addis

Jamey WilkesReference

1-800-289-1292, ext. 5060

library@swu.edu

Erin Washington