Bookmarks: A Guide To Research and Writing (Ruskiewicz, Walker and Pemberton) Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Evaluating Sources. A number of factors to consider when evaluating a source are:

• Why is this source writing what it is writing?
• How does the source derive its authority to comment on the subject?
• What are the credentials of the individuals who are writing and who are cited?
• Where does the source reside on the political map in the US? vis-a-vis the world political map?

  Two organizations that provide assessments of media bias are

  • FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting)—-for a somewhat more left-wing assessment of media bias
  • Media Research Center—for a somewhat more right-wing assessment of media bias

   

• How current is the information presen?. (This may be crucial if the discussion turns to technology or legislation)
• How well does the source present information? Is the writing on the site clear and comprehensible?
• Are there many commercial links to the site? Might the nature of the companies that sponsor the ads have a stake in the information that is presented?

Always ask sources that you trust about materials. Get another person's "read" on it—a librarian, instructor, or superhero.

Other sites useful for evaluating online materials

• The Argus Clearinghouse
• The Librarian's Guide to the Internet
• ICYouSee

Other sites concerned with assessing the value of information and sources

• Critically Analyzing Information Sources (Cornell)
• Evaluating Web Sites (Cornell)
• Using cybersources (Devry Institute)
• Thinking Critically About World Wide Web sources (UCLA)

Basics of Powerpoint

Some Powerpoint tutorials:

a list of Powerpoint tutorials ranging in their targeted level of expertise