Step 5: Evaluate What You Have Found It is important to critically evaluate information before using it in a paper. Everything you find should be evaluated, regardless of its format. Books, transcripts of television or radio programs, interviews with individuals, journal articles, and Internet sites all should be evaluated to make sure they are reliable and that you recognize any biases present. It is often appropriate to use sources that advocate a specific point of view, but you need to make sure that you understand and account for the biases they may show. For example, in a paper about the pros and cons of gun control, you may want to cite materials from the National Rifle Association and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. These two groups will give you vastly different perspectives on the issue and perhaps, a different "spin" on the same set of facts. It is your job to analyze the materials and decide how to use them in your paper. Ask these questions: - Who is the author?
What are the author's credentials - education, past writings, or experience - in the area? Is the author associated with an institution or organization? What are the values or goals of that group?
- Is the information accurate?
Are factual statements and statistics verifiable? Does the material contain footnotes and/or a bibliography ? For articles, has it been peer-reviewed?
- What is the purpose of the information?
Is it to inform, persuade, present opinion, report research, or sell something? For what audience is it intended? Does it show bias? Is the material popular or scholarly? Use the " Periodicals: Scholarly, Popular or Trade " chart to decide.
- Is the information timely?
When was the information published? Is the date of publication important to the subject matter? Does the information need to be updated using other sources? Here are some tips for finding information on the Web, and for evaluating what you find.
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