Overview

Audience

• Who is the intended audience for this source?
• Is this source appropriate for the intended audience of your research?

Authority

• Is there an author listed?
• How is the author qualified to speak on this topic? Is he or she considered an expert in the field? Has he or she published other pieces on this topic? Look for clues in bylines or "About" sections of Web pages.
• Who is the sponsor? Is the source published in a scholarly journal or by a reputable publisher? If it's a Web page, is there an organization behind it? What are its values? Is it reputable?

References/Citations

• Does the author of the source cite the sources of his or her information? If so, do the citations meet the criteria you would apply to an information source?

Scope/Comprehensiveness

• What topics are covered? Are they relevant to your research project?
• Does this source offer anything that isn't found elsewhere? Does it suggest a new point of view, provide an update on the subject, or offer evidence to back up a commonly held idea about your topic?
• How in-depth is the material?

Currency

• When was the source published?
• If the source is a Web page, when was it last updated? How current are the links? Are some broken?
• Is the currency of the source compatible with the scope of your research project?

Format/Organization

• How does the source present information? Is the information organized so that it's findable and accessible?

Accuracy/Objectivity

• Is the information free of errors?
• Is it factual and well-researched?
• Is there an editor or someone who fact checks the information?
• Does the information seem biased toward a particular viewpoint?
• Does the source use emotional language to sway your opinion?
• Is there advertising in the source or on the Web page? What does the advertising tell you about the source?

Links

These criteria are based on Mardi Mahaffy's Evaluation Worksheet for LSC 311: Information Literacy, New Mexico State University.