Skip to Main Content

Evaluating Information Sources

This guide will help you to evaluate resources you use for research, whether it is an online or print journal article, a website, a book, a newspaper article, or other source that you want to cite.

Introduction

You will need to evaluate each resource you use for research, whether it is an online or print journal article, a website, a book, a newspaper article, or other source that you want to cite. Use this guide to analyze materials and to assess how appropriate they will be for your research. Keep in mind that many publications have a particular bias or agenda, which may not be obvious at first glance.

  • Don't expect to be able to answer every question, all the time, for all information resources you look at.
  • Rather, try to use the questions as a tool to help you look at sources critically.

Additional Help

Get personalized help

Phone, e-mail, chat or arrange to meet with one of our subject librarians, who can provide specialized help with your research.

Visit a reference desk

Every branch has staff to help you. Check out our reference hours and visit a reference desk today!

Call a librarian

Call the reference desk at any one of our many library locations.

Email a librarian

Fill out our handy online reference assistance form.

 

AskAway

Chat loading...