Research
Evaluating Sources
Hard Copy Research
Books
Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Almanacs
Print indexes and bibliographies
Microforms Microfilm Microfiche
Managing Information
Cut and Paste URLs
Download files (full-text)
Bookmark
Bibliographic Programs EndNote (http://library.gmu.edu/endnote/) Zotero (http://www.zotero.org/)
Evaluating Online Sources
Bottom-Up: Filter then Publish Edited Peer-Reviewed/ Refereed
Top-Down: Publish then Filter Blogs Wikis Personal Web pages
Evaluating Sources: Currency
Has the source been superseded by more recent information?
Date of publication or posting
Dates of latest research
Evaluating Sources: Authority
What are the author’s credentials?
What are the author’s other publications?
What is the publication’s reputation?
Evaluating Sources: Reliability
Do other sources confirm the information?
Are there factual errors?
Evaluating Sources: Bias
Bias in this case simply means preconceived opinions. In most cases, these will be benign, but you should be aware of them. Professional Theoretical Methodological Observational Financial
Biases may become prejudicial, which will render a source unreliable.
Evaluating Sources: Logic
Inductive: specific data to general conclusion Is the evidence sufficient? Is the sample representative?
Deductive: general premise to specific conclusion Are the premises valid? Does the conclusion follow logically from the
premise?
Evaluating Sources: Usefulness
This a catch-all category.
Out of date or heavily biased sources may be useful to give background or context.
Peer-reviewed sources may be too technical.
Evaluating Sources: Tips
Don’t expect certainty. In fact, be suspicious of any general claim not limited by a qualifier such as often, sometimes, or rarely.
Identify your own biases. Don’t ignore information which may contradict your assumptions.
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