Evaluating Sources

Evaluating
Sources

By now you know that Wikipedia, HowStuffWorks, message boards, and user-input sites are not appropriate for college-level work. You should also avoid encyclopedias and dictionaries! Encylopedias are secondary sources; information did not start there. Dictionaries only give basic definitions, not a good understanding and depth of topics.

Here are some guidelines in evaluating other sources:

Most important

Authorship: Who wrote it, and does this person have credentials in the field?
Sponsorship: Who sponsors the website? Does this company or sponsor have a biased agenda? Is it considered a respectable site? Click around the site to find out how they allow people to be authors, and make sure it is not just a user-input site.

Also to consider

Currency: How new is the source? (Do not look at the copyright date, as it does not indicate when an article was placed online.) Depending on the technology you are researching, determine how old is "too old." Keep in mind that some older sources may be helpful for an historical view, however.
Writing style: Is the writing serious and formal? Is it mostly free of writing errors?
Content organization: Is the information easy to understand? Subheadings help with longer articles, although the use is not a requirement.
Content depth: Are there enough details to really provide a good look into the topic for your school level (early undergraduate - upper level undergraduate - graduate)?
Perceived intent: Is the article trying to sell you something (products, services, or ideas)? Is there a noticeable bias?

You must evaluate all sources, even those from libraries and academic search engines. You will find that few sources will be perfect, so look for those which fit your parameters best and maintain a healthy skepticism!