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Evaluating your sources is one of the best
things you can do as a researcher to help strengthen your project.
It is important for you both as a writer and presenter but also
as a scholar to practice strict screening, in deciding whether
or not to use a source. This section will help you identify
the source your using, as well as help you ask the right questions
as you begin the weeding process.
What types of sources are there, and
how do you know what you have?
The Big Three
Primary Sources:
These are materials
that would be created by the scientist who first discovered
kevlar, the work that she published on kevlar shortly
thereafter would be original, never before written
work on that subject and would therefore be a primary
source. Or, lets say your writing a research paper
on Shakespeare, the primary sources you would use
would be Shakespeare's letters, plays, or other work.
The use of primary sources convey to your readers
how closely you examined your topic without re-inventing
kevlar, or going back in time to meet Shakespeare.
Secondary
Sources: These
materials most often are books, reports or assessments
based on primary sources. If you were to cite only
Shakespeare's actual writing in your work and then
someone else used your report for theirs, then your
document would be their secondary source.
Tertiary
Sources: These
materials are most often based on the use of secondary
sources but can sometimes utilize primary sources
also. Lets say that there are 35 reports on the usefulness
of kevlar, and you were to summarize all that information
and make a film documentary, then your film would
be considered a tertiary source. Because the nature
of this type of source is often broad, usually much
of the finer details of the larger work are forgotten
or left out, so it is a good idea to refer back to
your primary and secondary sources for use in your
work.
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Is this information accurate and reliable, or are you
just wasting time?
Now that we have identified your sources we can begin the
weeding process. First off it should be noted that there is
no correct way to do this, and often times screening relies
on common sense and good judgment. However there are some
very basic criteria for screening that can leave you with
a healthy pile of research to use in your project. As well,
it is a good idea to keep your topic in mind, while you may
have a lot of good sources they may not be as relevant as
you think.
- First: Who is the publisher, and are they reputable?
If you don't know then ask, it always helps
to do a little background checking. Most colleges and universities
have their own press, and almost always lends the guarantee
of reliable work, as well there are a few large international
commercial presses whose reputations are as strong as any
university.
- Second: Is this a peer
reviewed source?
In other words has this information been
reviewed by individual experts before publication. If yes,
then you can almost be sure of its accuracy and completeness.
If not, keep in mind that many authors publish independently
and that this doesn't necessarily mean bad work. As well
most scholarly publications are peer-reviewed by default
so as to maintain their reputation.
- Third: Who wrote it anyway,
and When?
Most publications will tell you a little
something about the authors, and from that you can usually
decipher the authors area of expertise, and if not you can
always try to find them on the internet. Electronic sources
found outside databases however often do not supply authorship,
and if that is the case then decide the source credibility
by evaluating the host organization.
Currency is sometimes the most important
aspect to consider when evaluating your sources. Unless
your project is based on or involves some aspect of historical
inquiry then it is a good idea to keep your sources as up-to-date
as possible.
Evaluating:
Electronic Sources...
There is much
random content to be explored on the World Wide Web, however
your job as a researcher or scholarly entity is to access
the internet in search of legitimate and well presented
content. Use the same guidelines you would to evaluate more
established mediums like print. Review your sources in an
objective manner, looking for accuracy, authority, currency
and coverage. The most important factor to your research
will be the credibility of your sources, so don't be lazy
and accept whatever comes your way. Be thorough, exacting
and most of all be somewhat closed-minded. If your source
doesn't look credible, it probably isn't. Ask yourself the
below questions while reviewing a given electronic resource,
and follow through into the sources they used. After all,
an authors work may look legitimate, but perhaps their sources
are not.
- Anyone can publish a website,
who is this person and what is their purpose?
- Are their sources accurately
documented, can you access their source information?
- Does this author have the
sufficient background or experience to know this topic?
- Does the author give a good
explanation of their methodology used in gathering
the data used in their work?
- What about this site makes
you want to believe its accuracy?
- If you cannot determine who
the author is, then who are they working for?
- Whats the authors occupation,
or why is their work on this site?
- Which organization is presenting
this work, or who is the host?
- Does the creator provide contact
information? Email? Telephone?
- How were you directed to this
site? Are they credible?
- Does the
author represent both sides or all variables to the given
subject matter?
- Do they offer
comprehensive linkage, providing a means for you to
view oppositional material?
- How relevant
is their content to the given topic?
- Are they merely
reiterating information from another more credible
source?
- If
so, what is the importance of their view?
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