Question

What are the 7 criteria for evaluating resources ?

Explain each and how will use each when doing research?

Answer 1

The criteria for evaluating sources which conducting research are as follows:

1. Authority - Identifying the authors of the source and examining whether they are experts in their field. One way of checking the credibility of authors is by checking biographical sources.

2. Currency - Depending on the information being sought for, the currency or recency of the source is an important point to consider. The year at which the source was published serves as an indicator of currency.

3. Scholarly - The source at which the information appears should be a scholarly journal or a book published by a university press or other reputable academic publisher. Other points to consider are whether it includes a bibliography, the sources are appropriately cited in the text.

4. Quality - Although information from reputable sources are checked for quality, one should analyse whether the data presented is accurate and free of errors.

5. Objectivity - The source should present information in a reasonable and unbiased fashion. The material should appear accurate and balanced, focusing solely on facts rather than opinions.

6. Relevancy - While selecting a source, it is critical to ensure that the material pertains to one’s topic of interest and the information relates fully to what one is seeking.

7. Primary versus secondary sources - Depending on the nature of the study, primary sources and secondary sources maybe considered. While primary sources are better suited for literature review, secondary sources can be utilised during the interpretation and analysis phase.