Quality of Information

Figuring out how to find the right stuff

When you are gathering information, whether it's from books, journals, the Internet, etc., you'll need to know whether it's good information. There are many questions you should ask yourself as you decide whether a particular source is good for your research. These concern the authority, relevance, coverage, accuracy, currency, quality and context of the material.

Evaluating Sources: A Checklist

Authority and Credibility:

• Who publishes the book or journal?
• Who is the author(s) of the book or journal article?
• What makes the author an authority on this subject?
• Does the author cite his/her experience/credentials?
• Does the book or article contain footnotes?
• If so, does material taken from other sources appear to be fully credited? (Top of page)

Scope and Relevance:

• Who is the intended audience? (general, specialized, scholars, etc.)
• What is the level of the material? (basic, advanced, for geniuses only, etc.)
• Is the material appropriate and useful for your purposes?  (Top of page)

Coverage:

• What time period is covered?
• What geographical area is covered?
• How comprehensive and specific is the information? (Top of page)

Bias and Accuracy:

• How is the information presented? (fact, opinion, propaganda, etc.)
• If presented as fact, is it accurate?
• Is there a bias? (cultural, political, religious, etc.)
• If so, is the bias clearly stated? (Top of page)

Currency and Timeliness:

• How recent is the book or article?
• How important is this to you and your topic? (Top of page)

Quality:

• What was the quality of the research methodology?
• Did it use accepted methodologies for its field, as far as you know?
• What is the validity
• Is the article clearly written and well-organized? (Top of page)

Context:

• How does the book or article fit into its discipline discourse?
• Is new research being reported or is the author reviewing previously conducted research?
• Does the author agree or disagree with the majority of other scholars in the discipline?
• 
  Is this the first article of its kind within its discipline?

This course was developed by Joanna Burkhardt, Mary MacDonald  and Andrée Rathemacher and was adapted for online use by Jim Kinnie as part of the URI Libraries Plan for Information Literacy - http://www.uri.edu/library/instruction_services/infolitplan.html

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