Research

Evaluating Sources

Hard Copy Research

Books

Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Almanacs

Print indexes and bibliographies

Microforms Microfilm Microfiche

Managing Information

Cut and Paste URLs

Download files (full-text)

Bookmark

Bibliographic Programs EndNote (http://library.gmu.edu/endnote/) Zotero (http://www.zotero.org/)

Evaluating Online Sources

Bottom-Up: Filter then Publish Edited Peer-Reviewed/ Refereed

Top-Down: Publish then Filter Blogs Wikis Personal Web pages

Evaluating Sources: Currency

Has the source been superseded by more recent information?

Date of publication or posting

Dates of latest research

Evaluating Sources: Authority

What are the author’s credentials?

What are the author’s other publications?

What is the publication’s reputation?

Evaluating Sources: Reliability

Do other sources confirm the information?

Are there factual errors?

Evaluating Sources: Bias

Bias in this case simply means preconceived opinions. In most cases, these will be benign, but you should be aware of them. Professional Theoretical Methodological Observational Financial

Biases may become prejudicial, which will render a source unreliable.

Evaluating Sources: Logic

Inductive: specific data to general conclusion Is the evidence sufficient? Is the sample representative?

Deductive: general premise to specific conclusion Are the premises valid? Does the conclusion follow logically from the

premise?

Evaluating Sources: Usefulness

This a catch-all category.

Out of date or heavily biased sources may be useful to give background or context.

Peer-reviewed sources may be too technical.

Evaluating Sources: Tips

Don’t expect certainty. In fact, be suspicious of any general claim not limited by a qualifier such as often, sometimes, or rarely.

Identify your own biases. Don’t ignore information which may contradict your assumptions.