Intro to Library Research

The importance of information for your needs

• How 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 advanced or too basic?
• Have you looked at a variety of resources before deciding what you will use?
• Would you be comfortable citing this source in a paper?

The source of information

• Who is the author/sponsor/organization responsible for producing the information?
• Are the author's credentials and affiliations provided?
• Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
• Is contact information for the author and/or publisher provided?

The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content

• Is the information peer reviewed or refereed? (See: Scholarly Journals under Types of Articles)
• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Is the information verifiable in another source?
• Is the language/tone unbiased?
• Are there spelling or grammar errors?

The reason the information exists

• What is the information's purpose? Is it to inform, entertain, sell, or persuade?
• Are the intentions of the author made clear?
• Is the information fact, opinion, or propoganda?
• Is the point of view impartial and objective?