ENGR100: Evaluating Sources

Purpose and intended audience:

• -Why was this source created?  
• -What is the author’s intent for the source (inform, persuade, other)? 
• -Who is the intended audience (scholars/experts, general population, other)?

Objectivity or bias: 

• -Does the source contain fact, opinion, propaganda, or bias?
• -Is the information presented in the source objective (unbiased) or subjective (biased)?
• -Does the information have a political, religious, economic, or social agenda?
• -This may require finding more information on the author, publisher, and funding sources.

Authority and credibility: Credibility Video

• -Who is the author?
• -What are the qualifications of the author? 
• -How was the source published?
• -Who is the publisher? Is the publisher creditable?

Accuracy and reliability: 

• -Is the information in the source well researched?  
• -Did the author cite their sources of information?  
• -Who and what did they cite?

Currency and timeliness: 

• -When was the information created and/or published? 
• -Is current information required for your topic?