Political Science: POL 101 - Safarpour

Evaluating Sources

Think critically about information sources that you use. Here are a few things to consider when evaluating sources…

Who wrote it and why?

• What qualifies the author(s) to write about the topic?
• Who is the intended audience?
• What is the purpose -- to inform / entertain / persuade / summarize / report new findings?
• What is the context in which it was written?

How does it support your research question?

• What do you know now that you didn’t know before reading it?
• What does the source argue or demonstrate that none of your other sources do?
• What questions remain or what new questions are raised when considering the information?

What makes it reliable?

• What evidence did the author use to support his/her claims?
• Have other people cited or referenced it?
• How might someone dismiss it?
• Who had to approve or review it before it could be published?

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