Criteria for Evaluating Library Resources
- Authorship and Affiliation
- Accuracy / Verifiability
- Objectivity
- Audience
- Currency
- Content/Purpose
- Comparison to Other Similar Resources
Questions to Ask
Ask yourself the following questions about the criteria listed above. The
answers should help you decide if the sources you found are authoritative
and useful. These questions apply to print, electronic, and World Wide
Web resources.
Note about Web Resources: Because anyone can place information on
the Internet, you will need to evaluate the information very carefully. The
operative word in the previous statement is "you." Sources of information
comprising the Library's print and electronic collections have already
been evaluated for inclusion among the Library's resources. On the
Internet, YOU are the evaluator.
Authorship and Affiliation
- Who is the author of the book/article/Web site?
- Is the author an authority in his/her field?
- Does the author list his/her credentials (e.g., education,
occupation, etc.)?
- Does the author note his/her institutional affiliation
(university, government, organization, etc.)?
- Is the author cited in other sources you have examined?
- If a Web document, does the author's email address appear on the
page so you can contact him/her for further information?
Accuracy/Verifiability
- Is the information accurate?
- How reliable and free from error (typographically and factually)
is the information?
- Are the author's methods for obtaining data or conducting research
clearly stated?
- If a Web document, what is the domain code (e.g., .com, .gov,
.edu, .org)?
- If a Web document, are there links to relevant information. Is so,
do the links work?
Objectivity
- Is the material presented as fact or opinion?
- Is the information presented with a minimum of bias?
- To what extent is the information trying to sway the opinion of
the audience?
- If a Web document, do the pages act as a "virtual soapbox"?
Audience
- Can you tell to whom the information is directed?
- Is the material sufficiently scholarly, yet not so complicated
that you can't understand it?
Currency
- When was the material published?
- Does the material present the latest thinking or research on the
topic?
- Is currency an important factor for the material that is
presented? (Depending on the topic, older material may still be valid.
Information pertaining to the sciences, however, should generally be
current.)
- If a Web document, when was the page last updated? Is there a
copyright date on the page?
Content/Purpose
- What is the purpose of the information source (to inform, explain,
provide news, persuade, or entertain)?
- What topics are included in the material?
- Are the topics that are included explored in appropriate depth?
- If the material is available in both print and Web format, does
the coverage differ between the two versions?
- Does the author list his/her sources?
- Is supporting material, such as: bibliographies, indexes, charts,
maps, and other graphics, correctly documented?
- How comprehensive is the coverage of the material?
Comparison to Other Similar Materials
- Are there other resources that present the same information? If
so, how do the sources compare?
Add it all Up
- Does everything you've found "feel right?"
- Does it add up to integrity and reliability?
- Do you need more information?
If not, be sure to use the information with qualifying statements in your
research paper. Document and incorporate your reservations. Look for other
complementary sources as well.
If you are still not sure or, if you want help finding
something better, ask a reference librarian.
