UL Instruction   Internet Research   Step 4: How do you evaluate the quality of a source?

Step 4: How do you evaluate the quality of a source?

Whether you do research on the Internet or in the library, you must always critically evaluate the sources that you use when doing scholarly research. There are only a few sources that meet all criteria 100 percent. Nevertheless, it is important to keep the criteria at the back of your mind and to test the sources you find for usefulness. 

There are four important criteria by which to evaluate sources*:

Finally, it’s important to be well aware of the dangers of using

* Based on the CARS (Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Support) checklist, by Robbert Harris, Evaluating Internet Research Sources http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm

 

Tip:

  • It’s handy to have a checklist with you when doing your web page evaluation because it is important that you not forget these criteria for source evaluation.

 

                    



Next page