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Research Basics: Evaluating Sources

This guide illustrates the basic steps of the research process. Follow these steps to search for library resources related to your topic.

Make a Research Appointment

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Note:  The Mitchell Library staff will make every effort to accommodate your scheduling requests.  However, appointment times are subject to change according to library hours and librarian schedule availability.

Evaluating Sources

Once you have found sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) it is pertinent to assess the credibility and reliability of the information before including it in your research.

Types of Sources

Click on the tabs below to learn how to distinguish between primary, secondary, and scholarly sources.

Primary Sources

Characteristics of primary sources are:

  • First-hand data from researchers or accounts of direct witnesses
  • Factual
  • Original

Primary sources may include: original works of fiction, original research, journals, autobiographies, personal correspondence, interviews, photos, case studies, personal narratives, speeches, and works of art.

Secondary Sources

Characteristics of secondary sources are:

  • Second-hand accounts or references
  • Interpretive or analyses of prior research
  • Written long after the original work

Secondary sources may include: commentary/reviews, biographies, history books, and journal/newspaper articles written long after the event took place.

Some databases, like SIRS Issues Researcher, allow users to narrow search results by source type using search limiters.

Screen capture of SIRS Issues Researcher's search limiter, Source Type field. Available source type limiters are newspapers, magazines, reference, government documents, primary sources, multimedia/statistics, and websites.

(c) "SIRS Source Type limiter menu" by Mitchell Community College Library (n.d.)

Scholarly Sources

Scholarly sources are also called academic, peer-reviewed, or refereed sources. These sources are subject to a peer-review process during which other specialists and scholarly peers in the same field evaluate the quality of the author's research prior to publication. Scholarly sources can be found in the form of journals or articles.

Scholarly journals are compilations of articles written by scholars or experts who have completed research in a given field. They are intended to publish original research to share with other researchers and scholars, who constantly build upon new knowledge.

Scholarly articles are singular reports about the research completed by scholars or experts in their field. They typically have an abstract or descriptive summary and are intended to inform readers about their research findings. These articles often use technical language; contain citations (footnotes, references, or bibliographies); and may include charts, graphs, or other representations of data. 

Some databases allow users to narrow search results to peer reviewed sources using search limiters.

The CRAAP Test

The CRAAP Test is an instrument to evaluate if a source is reliable enough to use for research. The acronym stands for:

  • Currency - the timeliness of the information
  • Relevance - how well the information meets your specific needs
  • Authority - the source of the information
  • Accuracy - the reliability, correctness, and truthfulness of the information
  • Purpose - why the information exists

"The C.R.A.A.P. Test" by Tyler Rabin (c) YouTube (2017)

Click on the tabs below for questions you should ask yourself when evaluating each element of the test.

Currency

When considering the timeliness of information, ask yourself:

  • When was the information created or published?
  • When, if ever, was the information revised or updated?
  • How current does your information need to be? 
    • Did your instructor provide you with specific guidelines for currency?
    • Is the topic or field of study one that changes rapidly and requires the use of the most recent information available?

Relevancy

When considering how well the information meets your specific needs, ask yourself:

  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (not too elementary/advanced)?
  • Do you feel, overall, that the source is appropriate for use in college-level work?
  • Have you compared information from other sources in order to find the most appropriate and useful information for your research?

Authority

When considering the source of the information, ask yourself:

  • Who is the author (creator, publisher, sponsor, organization, etc.) of the work?
    • What are their credentials? If an organization/sponsor, who are the affiliates?
    • Are they qualified to speak on the subject?
    • Is there contact information available?
  • What does the URL indicate?
    • .com - commercially available website (anyone could purchase/own the domain)
    • .edu - educational institution
    • .gov - government organization
    • .net - network website, usually used by Internet providers, web-hosting companies, or similar businesses
    • .org - organization of some kind (i.e., non-profit, trade, etc.)

Accuracy

When considering the reliability, correctness, and truthfulness of the information, ask yourself:

  • Is the information supported by evidence/facts?
  • Has the information been reviewed or edited? 
    • Who was it reviewed or edited by?
  • Can you verify the information by comparing it to other trusted sources or by your own personal knowledge?
  • Does the source seem biased toward a particular viewpoint?
    • Does it use emotional or inflammatory language?
  • Are there any spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors?
    • This may be a red flag that the information was not professionally edited or reviewed.

Purpose

When considering why the information exists, ask yourself:

  • Does the source seek to inform, teach, sell, entertain, or persuade? 
    • The best sources for scholarly research should aim to inform or teach readers.
  • Are the author's intentions clear?
  • Does the information include facts, opinions, propaganda, or a combination of these things?
    • Seek sources that stick to the facts.

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