People write for many different reasons - to inform, entertain, persuade, mislead, satirize, describe, etc. and the quality of the information can depend on the reason it was written or shared. Information changes as new facts, data, and knowledge comes to light. In an academic assignment, it is important to use information that is reliable, accurate, objective, and up-to-date. You will need to evaluate each source you locate, to determine if it is something that will support or contradict your thesis and/or topic. You will look at more sources than you need, and that is okay, and encouraged! The more sources you read, the more informed you are about the topic and can pick the best resources for your assignment.
Below is a list of videos, eBooks, and websites that can help you evaluate information and sources.
Peer Review is "the process by which an academic journal passes a paper submitted for publication to independent experts, or others in the same occupation, for comments on its suitability and worth." Reviewers will evaluate the article for quality, credibility, and accuracy. - Oxford English Dictionary
There are different types of Peer Review:
Not all journals are peer-reviewed - verify a journal is peer-reviewed by checking the author guidelines and publication information on the journal's website (a simple Google search of the journal title will work). Peer-reviewed journals do contain information that is itself not peer-reviewed, such as editorials, opinions, or letters.
Remember to evaluate the article, not just the journal!
People write for many different reasons - to inform, entertain, persuade, mislead, satirize, describe, etc. and the quality of the information can depend on the reason it was written or shared. Information changes as new facts, data, and knowledge comes to light. In an academic assignment, it is important to use information that is reliable, accurate, objective, and up-to-date. You will need to evaluate each source you locate, to determine if it is something that will support or contradict your thesis and/or topic. You will look at more sources than you need, and that is okay, and encouraged! The more sources you read, the more informed you are about the topic and can pick the best resources for your assignment.
The video below, created and produced by the University of South Australia Librarians, provides tips on evaluating information using the C.R.A.A.P. test.
A scholarly article, sometimes referred to as a peer-reviewed article, is one that's been written by a scholar in the field. Its intended audience is other scholars in the area and it is intended to share research about a topic. When it is peer-reviewed, other scholars and experts in the field review the article and make recommendations before it is published.
