Biology 160 - B. Brady

This page provides resources and information on how to evaluate resources.

A credible source can be identified by some of the following characteristics:

• Is the source in-depth or suitable for the level of research that you need?
  • Is it longer than a page? Does it have an abstract, a reference list, documented research or data? Maybe you just need an overview?
• Who is the audience?  
  • Academic, for an audience of college students, professors, and professionals OR is it popular, for a general audience?
• What is the purpose of the source?   
  • To provide information, original research, entertainment, to give or sway an opinion, to sell you something, to provide news or specific information for trade or industry?
• Who are the authors/creators/supporters?
  • Are they a respected entity, well-known in the field?  Are they easily identifiable?  Have they written about other similar topics?  What are their credentials? Would they be considered "experts" on the topic?
• Is the source reputable?
  • Is it from a library database, a scholarly journal, or an authoritative web site?
• Is the source adequate for your topic?
  • Does it fulfill at least some of your criteria or provide some relevant information that you need?
• Is there supporting documentation?
  • Are there links or credit given to outside or referenced resources (these include graphs, charts, illustrations, statistics, references, or other supporting documentation)?

You can use this list as a quick checklist for evaluating your sources, whether they are websites or from SVC resources.

You don't need to be able to answer all the questions but use the list as a general evaluating tool.

Similar to the CRAP checklist, the SIFT method is particularly useful when you are evaluating online information sources, such as videos, blogs, social media posts.

Checklist for evaluating information. Be skeptical and ask questions.

AUTHORITY -- What are the author’s or oganizations qualifications for presenting this information?  

OBJECTIVITY -- Is it clear what the intention or main purpose of the information is? To inform? To entertain? To force an opinion?  To  sell something? To educate? Are the goals or aims of the individual or group clear to you?  

CURRENCY -- Is the content up-to-date?  Does it matter to you and your topic if the content is older or newer?

COVERAGE -- What topics are covered and to what depth?  Coverage may differ depending on the source.

AFFILIATION -- Is there a corporate entity (i.e. company, government, organization, university) that supports this site?  Is there a link to the homepage of the organization?  Is there contact information such as an email link and a snail mail address?  How might this affiliation affect objectivity?

AUDIENCE -- For what audience is the material intended?  Is it for students in elementary school?  Middle school?  High school?  Is it for adults?  How complex is the use of language?

Where does your source come from?

• university (.edu)   University/college web sites are usually reliable. (Check the college/ university).  They are a source of many university journals which are not included in general databases.  Do not use student papers.
• special interest (.org)   Professional organizations end in .org.  But, some .orgs promote a specific agenda.  Look at the website authors in "About us" and check their authority.
• government or military (.gov or .mil)   In general they are the most reliable sources.
• company website (.com)  Good for information about a particular company. Be aware that company websites are used to promote, so be sure the information is non-biased.