What kind of article is it?
Evaluating Article Type | ||
Scholarly | Popular | |
Audience | Academics, Specialists in a particular field | general public, people without a degree in the subject |
Language | Specific to field, jargon | Everyday language |
Author | Author’s credentials listed, institution affiliation listed | No credentials or affiliations |
Look and feel | Structured format, statistics, tables, illustrations that support text | No specific format, illustrations color and glossy, commercial in nature |
Research | Based on author’s original work/research | Reporting on other’s research |
Length and Coverage | Long articles with in depth analysis | Short articles with broad overview |
Editors | Often “peer reviewed” by experts in the field | Reviewed in a general sense, not by experts in the field |
Bibliography/Citations? | Yes | Probably not |
Which is better?
It all depends on your assignment (or what you’re looking for). If you need to get an overview of a topic or issue, a popular article may serve this purpose. If you require in-depth analysis, case study, or research, then a scholarly article may better meet this need.
How is this useful to me?
Evaluating Content | ||
Useful | How relevant is this source to your topic? Does this source offer new information or answers to your questions? |
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Timely | Is this source older or newer? Does your topic require the latest information and/or historical information? |
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Appropriate | Is this a scholarly source or a source geared toward a general audience? What level of research do you need? |
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Authoritative | Are author credentials given? Is the work fair or biased? Are research methodologies or procedures (if any) discussed? |
What about Web sites?
There is a lot of good information to be found online. That said, there is much to consider when using a web source.
Consider the following:
You should really be using the library's databases and online resources as sources, but, we will admit that sometimes you can find relevant information on the World Wide Web. If you want to use information from the WWW, you must make sure it is reliable, current, accurate and written at the proper level for a college audience. This is critical thinking and it takes practice, but it must be done if you want to use web resources. Look at the following C.R.A.A.P.P. checklist for help with vetting online information and apply it to any WWW resources you may consider using.
The C.R.A.A.P.P. Checklist
Title of resource you are evaluating: __________________________________________________________________________________
URL: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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CURRENCY
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When was the resource created or updated?
If no date is given, visit the home page to look for the date. |
Date _______________________________ |
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Is the information current enough for your topic?
Why might the date matter for your topic? |
Yes |
No |
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Reasoning:
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RELIABILITY
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Are there references given for the resource?
Look for a bibliography or any list of materials used in the creation of the page. |
Yes |
No |
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If so, how many?
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Is the content primarily opinion?
Is the content biased or balanced? Why might bias matter for your topic?
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Yes |
No |
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Notes:
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AUTHORITY/ Accuracy |
Who created the resource? If there is no specific author, what is the name of the organization responsible for the site? You may need to visit the home page to find the answer.
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Email or Username: ___________________________________
Name: ______________________________________________ |
Is there evidence that the creator or organization is an expert on this subject?
Are there references given for the resource? Can you verify the references? Look for a bibliography or any list of materials used in the creation of the page.
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List your evidence (use reverse side if necessary):
Yes How many references?
No
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Purpose and Point of View
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Why was the resource put on the web? Are there ads on the site? How do they relate to the topic covered?
Example: an ad selling ammunition next to an article about firearm legislation.
Is the content primarily opinion? |
Information/Facts |
Persuasion |
Sales Tool |
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Other__________
Notes:
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What is the domain extension?
How might this influence the purpose? |
.com |
.edu |
.mil |
.org |
.gov |
.net |
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Other __________________
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Based on the writing style and vocabulary, who is the intended audience?
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Children |
General Public |
College Students |
Scholars or Professionals |
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Other _________________
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