L3: Evaluating Sources

Question 1

What are the two kinds of sources?

Answer 1

Primary and Secondary

Question 2

These sources are original and first hand information. They are also reports of scientific discoveries, experiments, and research results in social sciences.

Answer 2

Primary Sources

Question 3

These are examples of what kind of sources: diaries, journals, government documents, photographs, interviews, speech transcriptions, surveys, paintings, literary writings, and scientific publications of experiments.

Answer 3

Primary Sources

Question 4

These sources are second-hand accounts of events, interpretations, and analyses of creative or scientific works.

Answer 4

Secondary Sources

Question 5

What kind of sources are these examples: biographies, journal articles on the historical, cultural, political, or social importance of particular subjects, article reviews, and research publications on the significance or analysis of scientific or political experiments or surveys?

Answer 5

Secondary Sources

Question 6

What are the Big 5 criteria to evaluate sources?

Answer 6

Currency
Coverage (Relevance)
Authority
Accuracy
Objectivity (Purpose)

Question 7

What do the Big 5 criteria help evaluate?

Answer 7

Credibility of sources

Question 8

Big 5: What is the meaning of currency?

Answer 8

Check the publication date and determine whether it is sufficiently current for your topic.

Question 9

Big 5: What is the meaning of coverage (relevance)?

Answer 9

Consider whether the source is relevant to your topic and whether it covers the topic adequately for your needs.

Question 10

Big 5: What is the meaning of authority?

Answer 10

Discover the credentials of the author of the source and determine the level of expertise and knowledge about the topic.

Question 11

Big 5: What is the meaning of accuracy?

Answer 11

Consider whether the source presents accurate information and whether you can verify the information.

Question 12

Big 5: What is the meaning of objectivity (purpose)?

Answer 12

Think about the author’s purpose in creating the source and consider how that affects its usefulness to your topic.

Question 13

What is the meaning of CRAAP?

Answer 13

Currency
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose

Question 14

CRAAP: What is the meaning of currency?

Answer 14

Timeliness of the information

Question 15

CRAAP: What is the meaning of relevance?

Answer 15

Importance of the information for your needs.

Question 16

CRAAP: What is the meaning of authority?

Answer 16

Source of information.

Question 17

CRAAP: What is the meaning of accuracy?

Answer 17

Reliability, truthfulness, correctness of the content

Question 18

CRAAP: What is the meaning of purpose?

Answer 18

Reason why the information exists

Question 19

CRAAP for Websites: What is the meaning of currency?

Answer 19

A helpful site is updated regularly and lets visitors know when the content was published on the site. Can you tell when the site was last updated? Can you see when the content you need was added? Does the site show signs of not being maintained such as broken links and out-of-date information?

Question 20

CRAAP for Websites: What is the meaning of relevance?

Answer 20

Think about the target audience for the site. Is it appropriate for you or your paper’s audience?

Question 21

CRAAP for Websites: What is the meaning of authority?

Answer 21

Look for the About Us link or something similar to learn about the site’s creator. The more you know about the credentials and mission of a site’s creators, as well as their sources of information, the better idea you will have about the site’s quality.

Question 22

CRAAP for Websites: What is the meaning of accuracy?

Answer 22

Does the site present references or links to the sources of information it presents? Can you locate these sources so that you can read and interpret the information yourself?

Question 23

CRAAP for Websites: What is the meaning of purpose?

Answer 23

Consider the reason why the site was created. Can you detect any bias? Does the site use emotional language? Is the site trying to persuade you about something?