Skip to Main Content
homepage
Ask Us Find Us

Library Resource Guide: Students

A resource guide with information about general library resources, materials and partners for all students. For specific subject or format materials consult course, subject and topic guides.

Step 3: Evaluating and Filtering your Sources

funnel icon filter information sources    Step 3: Evaluate and filter your sources

  •  Different sources of information have different purposes. What kind of information do you need?
    • Straight data and facts?
    • Personal perspectives or opinions?
    •  Academic and scholarly? Peer-reviewd?
    • Newspapers, magazines, or encyclopedia articles? 
  • Choose the best sources for what you are trying to communicate in your assignment.
    •  A good source backs up its arguments and ideas with solid data, and evidence that can be confirmed. and presented in a neutral tone.
    • A bad source generally takes a more emotional tone, and may exaggerate, mislead, or provide completely wrong data and information to "prove" their point.

(Source: Radcliff, C.J.; Jensen, M.L.; Salem, J.A. Jr.; Burhanna, K.J.; Gedeon, J.A., A Practical Guide to Information Literacy Assessment for Academic Librarians; Libraries Unlimited: Westport, Connecticut, 2007, p. 111.)

Evaluating Sources

Using the 5 Ws: Using the CARP Method:
Who wrote it?
  • Author’s name
  • Contact information
  • Qualifications and/or credentials
  • Affiliations
  • Publisher or sponsoring organization

What kind of information does it have?

  • Does the information relate to your topic or help answer your question? (Note: this doesn’t mean that the information agrees with your argument.)
  • Is the information at the appropriate level for your research?
  • Intended audience

When was it written or last updated?

  • Date of publication
  • Date of revisions or updates
  • Does your topic require only the most current information, or are older sources acceptable?
  • Websites: Are the links functional?

Where did the content come from?

  • Are there references or citations? Is there a bibliography?
  • Was the information reviewed or refereed? By whom?

Why was the source created?

  • Point of view being presented
  • Bias
  • What is the information meant to do to the reader? (Inform, teach, sell, entertain, persuade?)
  • Is the intention or purpose clearly stated?
  • Websites: What does the domain tell you? (Examples: .com – commercial; .gov – government; .org – organization (but what kind of organization are they?)

(SOURCE: Adapted from a source by Jessica Olin, Northwest Univ.)

 Currency: Timeliness of the information
  • When was the information published or posted?
  • Has the information been revised or updated?
  • Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic?
  • Are the links functional?

Authority: the source of the information (Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content)

  • Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
  • Are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given?
  • What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations are given?
  • What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic?
  • Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address?
  • Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? examples: .com (commercial), .edu (educational), .gov (U.S. government), .org (nonprofit organization), or .net (network)
  • Where does the information come from?
  • Is the information supported by evidence?
  • Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
  • Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
  • Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion?
  • Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs

  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
  • Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
  • Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?

Purpose: the reason the information exists

  • What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?
  • Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
  • Is the information fact? opinion? propaganda?
  • Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
  • Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?

(SOURCE: The CARP Method is an adaptation based on the C.R.A.A.P. methodology created by the librarians at  CSU, Chino. Located here.)