Skip to Main Content

SCIE 101 - Science 101

Evaluating Sources

To get started watch the video below, and for more information about evaluating sources, see the Evaluating Information Sources Guide.

Scholarly vs. Popular

 

Examples

Scholarly Journals 

Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
Water, Science and Technology
Foreign Affairs
Science
Nature

Popular Magazines

Time
Newsweek
Psychology Today
 
Authors Researchers
Professors
Scholars
Professionals
who are usually experts in narrow fields		 Journalists
Lay people
Anonymous
 
References Includes references, bibliographies or footnotes Rarely includes references, bibliographies or footnotes
 
Edited by? Submitted articles are subjected to a rigorous peer-review process by researchers, professionals and/or students of the field Submitted articles may be reviewed by journalists and lay people
 
Language Specialized language of the discipline is used
Often includes tabulated data, graphs and diagrams		 Language is non-technical
 
Contents Always includes an abstract
Lengthy articles of original research
In-depth analysis of topic
Substantial book reviews		 Shorter articles of general interest
Coverage of current events/news
Some brief book reviews
 
Presentation
and
Graphics		   Less flashy, more "serious" in appearance
  Advertisements are rare
  (an exception is medical journals)
  Articles are often divided into explicitly named (and sometimes   numbered) sections		 More eye-catching appearance
Many pictures
Many advertisements
 
Where
Indexed?		 Found in specialized indexes such as
Anthropological Index
Georef
Medline		 Found in general periodical indexes such as
Academic Search Elite
Canadian Periodical Index
Reader's Guide Abstracts
(But keep in mind that general periodical indexes also include scholarly materials)

Information Evaluation Frameworks

There are a number of frameworks that we use to help us evaluate information. SIFT and CRAAP are two of the most popular.

SIFT: a four-step technique used to assess information. It was developed by Mike Caulfield from the University of Washington.

  • Stop: Pause to think about the information critically.
  • Investigate the source: Investigate who the information was created by and why it was created.
  • Find better coverage: Identify alternative resources that cover the same area to see if there is a consensus.
  • Trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context: If claims are cited, look into the original source and repeat the SIFT process. If attribution is missing (a red flag), investigate more deeply to see if a claim has any basis.

CRAAP Test: CRAAP is an acronym for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. Use the CRAAP Test to evaluate your sources. It was developed by Sarah Blakeslee and a team of librarians at California State University, Chico.

Currency: the timeliness of the information

  • When was the information published or posted? Has the information been revised or updated? Is the information current or out-of date for your topic?

Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs

  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question? Who is the intended audience? Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)? Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?

Authority: the source of the information

  • Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor? Does the author have the appropriate expertise, credentials, and organizational connections in the subject area? What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic? Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address? Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source?

Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content

  • Where does the information come from? Is the information supported by evidence? Has the information been reviewed or refereed? Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge? Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion? Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose: the reason the information exists

  • What is the purpose of the information: to inform, teach, sell, entertain, or persuade? Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear? Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?  Does the point of view appear objective and impartial? Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?