Evaluating Sources
Introduction
Using the 4 R’s to evaluate sources
Types of Web pages
Talk About It
Your Turn
Tech Tool in this presentation
• Author Search
Introduction
How is writing a research paper like being a judge?
You have to judge
each possible source
of content to see if it
contains information
that is good to use in
your paper.
Introduction
As you research, you have many sources of information
to choose from, such as
newspaper and
magazine articles
books
Web sites
video and
audio clips
experts
Introduction
You have to evaluate each source that you find to
see if you should use it in your work.
This means reading and thinking
carefully about
• how trustworthy your
source is
• whether the source answers your
research question
The 4 R’s can help you make smart
choices that will be useful for your
work.
Can I trust
this source?
Using the 4 R’s to evaluate sources
Relevant A source is relevant if it relates to your
narrow topic. It provides specific information that
answers your research question.
If your topic is about the first home computer, which
of these sources would be more relevant?
a book called Learning HTML Coding to Create Webpages
by Marc Smith
an interview with Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple
Computers
Using the 4 R’s to evaluate sources
Recent A source is recent if it contains the latest
information about a topic. Even if you are researching
an event from history, you still need the most current
information available.
If you want to write about how new video games are
created, which would be a better source?
a Web page titled “YOYO Games, Gamemaker 7.0”
a newspaper article from 1999 on video-game design
Using the 4 R’s to evaluate sources
Representative A source is representative if it
explains different viewpoints on a controversial topic.
You never want to present only one side of an
argument in your work.
Which of the following sources would be more
representative for a paper about endangered species?
a study on current threats to animal species by an
international wildlife organization
an advertisement for a big-game hunting safari
Using the 4 R’s to evaluate sources
Reliable A source is reliable if it includes accurate
and objective information. To find accurate
information, look for well-respected publishers or
authors who are experts in their field.
For information on acne treatments, which source is
likely to be more reliable?
a Web page created by a dermatologist, a doctor
who treats skin problems
a commercial for the newest product that claims to
prevent acne
Tech Tool: Author Search
You might need to find out more information about the
author of a Web site to know if he or she qualifies as an
expert. There are several ways to do this.
Look on the Web site.
Sometimes Web pages offer
more information about the
author.
Look for headings or links
such as About and Who
Am I? or click the Home
button.
Tech Tool: Author Search
If an e-mail link is provided on the Web site, another
option is to send an e-mail to the author to ask for
more information about his or her experience and
education.
Be polite and explain to the author why you need this
information.
Tech Tool: Author Search
Another way to find information about a Web page’s
author is to enter the author’s name into a search
engine, putting the name in quotation marks. This will
help you determine how the author is viewed on other
Web sites.
Examine the results you receive.
Does your search suggest that the Web page author is
a recognized expert on your topic?
Does your search make you think the Web page author
might be giving false information?
Tech Tool: Author Search
Here is a funny example about the “dangers” of the
chemical DHMO, also known as . . . water, or H2O.
Tech Tool: Author Search
Here are the results of a
Google search for Tom Way,
the author of the DHMO Web
site. Often you can form an
opinion by studying the
results carefully.
At first the author seems pretty reliable
because he’s a professor. When I look more
closely, I see that he’s a professor of
computer science. I realize that he is
probably not the most reliable source of
information about chemicals.
Types of Web pages
One common way people find sources is by using the
Internet.
How do I know
whether this is a
reliable source?
Unfortunately,
no one checks
information for
accuracy before it is
posted to the Internet.
When you are trying to
decide whether a Web page
is reliable, it helps to know
what type of page you are
viewing.
How do I know
whether this
information is
accurate?
Types of Web pages
There are five basic types of Web pages:
• personal home pages
• advocacy pages
• commercial pages
• informational pages
• news pages
Types of Web pages
Anyone can create a personal home page. They are
used for many purposes, such as sharing family
pictures or giving information about the author’s
favorite charity.
You’ll usually be able to pick out a personal home
page by examining the URL (Web address).
If it contains a tilde (~), a backslash (/), or both,
followed by a person’s name, it’s usually a personal
home page.
http://www.noise.org/~JSmith/home.htm
http://www.osu.edu/jsmith/
Types of Web pages
This personal home page focuses on a family’s pets and
the interests of each family member.
Types of Web pages
Advocacy Web pages are posted by organizations.
They want to give you information about the
organization’s beliefs and activities.
Keep in mind that some
of the information on an
advocacy page might be
biased—it might represent
only one viewpoint.
Types of Web pages
Commercial Web pages are created to sell products.
They use advertising techniques targeted at a specific
audience to persuade people to buy what they are
selling.
Types of Web pages
Informational Web pages are created to provide
information for users.
Many informational sites are published by universities or
the government. Look for .edu or .gov in the URL.
Types of Web pages
News Web pages are created to provide up-to-theminute coverage of current events. They are provided
by media sources such as newspapers, magazines,
and television networks.
Talk About It
Look at the following Web site and use the presented
information to discuss the questions provided.
3.This site
1.What
2.Evaluate
type
was
the
of
site do you
information
created
by
think thisfor
provided.
teachers
is?
Do
Whatthink
you
students
are to
this
some
is
use.
reliable
What
clues
that make
information?
lesson
do you
you think
Why
think
or
they
why
that? their
not?
want
students to
learn?
Your Turn: Evaluating a Web site
Say your research topic is “Characteristics of Labrador
Retrievers.”
Read some of the
information on the
American Kennel
Club Web page.
Use the site to answer
the questions on the
following slide. Think
about whether this site
is a good source.
Your Turn: Evaluating a Web site
1. Is this site relevant?
Does it provide
specific information
about your topic?
Why or why not?
2. Is this site reliable?
Is it written by
experts? How can
you tell?
Your Turn: Evaluating a Web site
3. Is the site
representative?
Does it explain
different viewpoints
about your topic?
Why do you think
so?
4. Is the information
recent? How could
you find out?
Your Turn: Evaluating a Web site
1. I think this site is/isn’t relevant because:
2. I think this site is/isn’t reliable because:
3. I think this site is/isn’t representative because:
4. I think this site is/isn’t recent because:
The End