How to Evaluate Source Relevance and Authority

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4.3 How Do I Evaluate a Source’s Relevance?
Your Road Map to Success: Section 4.3
Learning Outcome 4.3: Identify the criteria used to evaluate the
relevance of information.
Why is this important?
You might assume that when it comes to sources for your
research paper, the more you have,
the better your paper will be. But quality is more important than
quantity. Being able to
evaluate the relevance of information will help you stay focused
on your goals by eliminating
unnecessary information.
How does this relate to your success in this course?
Mastering this learning outcome will help you identify and
avoid tangential or nonessential
information that could distract you from the central focus on
your research.
When evaluating sources, including sources found on the
Internet, in the library, or in print, be sure to consider

whether the content meets your needs. This is called
determining an information source’s relevance. This goes
beyond simply asking if the source relates to your topic. Rather,
how well does it help answer your question or
enhance your understanding? Keep in mind that a resource may
not be an exact match or completely answer your
question, but it could describe a certain angle of your topic that
you may want to explore further. Therefore, it
could still have value for you. Deciding whether something is
relevant to your research is a bit of a judgment
call, but the following strategies can help.
Revisit the Scope of Research
As you consider sources, it’s important to keep the scope of
your research in mind. As we explored in Chapter 1,
your research question should be narrowed according to the
purpose of the research as well as the audience. A
brief PowerPoint presentation intended to introduce a topic to
your classmates, for instance, will require
definitions and other fundamental types of information, whereas
a 20-page research essay for your instructor will
require deeper evidence and analyses. Notice how the intended
audience dictates the focus and depth of the
information. Content is generally created for different groups,
such as practitioners, researchers, the general
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public, or maybe special-interest groups within the general

public, such as those who belong to certain political
parties, religions, lifestyles, and so on.
In thinking about relevance, Irwin reconsiders the scope of his
research once more. He has chosen to focus on
how social networks have impacted business, and marketing in
particular. His digital literacy teacher and
potentially his classmates are his audience, so he needs
information that is professional but not overly technical.
One way to determine the intended audience for a source is to
examine the type of language used within it. Irwin
comes across several how-to articles that seem intended for
marketing professionals. The articles are related to
his topic; however, they do not address societal impacts. He
also worries that the technical language makes the
information inaccessible to him and his audience. Other
webpages, however, seem too elementary and barely
mention how social networks are used in marketing. They also
fail to address impacts on society. Irwin realizes
that for his assignment, “just right” sources seem to have more
advanced language, and perhaps some vocabulary
specific to the field, but not a level of terminology that makes
the source incomprehensible to him or
his audience.
The format of the information you choose can also affect the
scope, depth, and manner in which your topic is
discussed. Different formats may influence what is covered
about a topic, such as a broad look at a topic in a
book, in contrast to coverage of very specific and technical
aspects of a topic in a scholarly article. Often, you
may need to get information from various formats that are
addressed to different types of audiences to gather all
of the relevant information you need.
As Irwin continues his search for current, relevant information,

he reminds himself that he is unlikely to find one
perfect article that addresses all aspects of his topic. He
initially thought it would be interesting to include a
podcast or personal website for his last resource; however, he
notices that his results list includes quite a few
government websites and decides to explore those first.
Consider the Body of Research Gathered
Another way to determine whether a source is relevant for your
needs is to compare it with other sources of
information you’ve gathered on your topic. Looking back at the
ACRL threshold concept searching as strategic
exploration, we know that research usually involves gathering
bits and pieces of information from many sources
to address a research need. Examining how those bits and pieces
fit together can help you determine each
source’s relevance.
Sometimes, you may come across several sources that are
essentially saying the same thing about your topic.
Gathering five sources that all share the same information or
viewpoint can result in research that is one-sided or
underdeveloped. As we explored in Chapter 2, avoiding bias in
research requires that you seek out diverse
perspectives. As you come across new information, consider
how it relates to the other information you’ve
already gathered. Does it fill a gap? Does it offer a new
perspective on an element another source has addressed?
Does it present a counterpoint worth considering?
As Irwin explores one of the government sources he located on
his most recent Internet search, he recognizes
that much of the information on the webpage was already
discussed in one of his scholarly sources. Because the
source is not adding new information to his body of research, he

takes the time to explore additional government
websites. He starts to think of his various sources as pieces of a
puzzle and knows he’ll need patience, critical
thought, and creativity to locate the right piece.
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Section 4.3 Knowledge Check Quiz
1. What is the most relevant source for a general overview of a
TV series?
A. a social media page that generates memes about cast
members
B. a book on the history of television
C. an encyclopedia entry about the show
2. One way to determine the relevance of a source is to consider
__________.
A. its length
B. the audience for which it was created
C. the number of authors who created it
3. Having too many sources that say the same thing on your
topic can lead to one-sided research.
A. True
B. False
Answers
1 (C), 2 (B), 3 (A)

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Determining Credibility of Authors and Age of
Information
4.4 How Do I Evaluate a Source’s Authority?
Your Road Map to Success: Section 4.4
Learning Outcome 4.4: Identify the criteria used to evaluate the
authority of information.
Why is this important?
Being able to evaluate the authority of information will help
you find credible sources and
avoid those that might discredit your research. This skill can
help in daily life as well. For
example, Christian is preparing his children to move to a new
town. One of his friends hears
about the move and sends him a link to an anonymous posting
on a discussion site that
complains about the new town’s school system. At first,
Christian is alarmed; however,
knowing the importance of evaluating authority, he does some
research. He quickly finds a
government website that lists above average test results from
the school district and a Facebook
page with glowing reviews from parents whose children attend
the school. He decides the

authority of these pages is much more credible and feels better
about his decision to move.
How does this relate to your success in this course?
Mastering this learning outcome will help you identify qualified
sources of information with
expertise on your topic.
Once you’ve determined that a source is
relevant to your information need, you
need to consider the author’s expertise on
the subject matter. In information literacy,
authority is a level of education and
experience that qualifies an individual or
group to publish information on a given
topic. For example, the United Nations’
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change is a global authority on climate
change because its more than 2,000
members have advanced education and
extensive experience in climate science.
Let’s revisit the threshold concept
authority is constructed and contextual.
In other words, no single checklist of
criteria can tell you who is an appropriate
authority in every situation; instead, the
level of authority required depends on the
information needed (ACRL, 2015). For
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Critical-Thinking Questions
1. What are two things to look out for when determining
an author's credibility?
2. Consider a recent article you read online. What steps
did you take to determine if the publisher was
reputable?
example, you wouldn’t need information
from a leading researcher in meteorology
to help you decide whether to wear a
jacket tomorrow, but you would need
information from someone with that level
of authority if you were writing a thesis
on meteorological models. A Wikipedia
article on Harry Potter would be perfectly
sufficient to help you keep track of which
character is which as you are reading the
books. However, Wikipedia would not be
appropriate if you were writing a
dissertation on Harry Potter’s place in
children’s literature; for that, you would
need to consult scholars on the topic. This
is what is meant by authority is
contextual—different contexts require
different levels of authority.
Similarly, the value placed on different
types of authority often varies by
community. Members of one group might
not consider a figure in a different group
as a reputable authority. For example,

members of one political party may view
the writings of certain leaders or thinkers
with high regard, whereas people from a
different political party may not. In another example, a noted
historian of the Civil War would not carry the same
authority if they were to write an article about a modern health-
related topic. Their authority in their area of
expertise does not grant them authority in other, unrelated
subject areas. This is what is meant by the idea that
authority is constructed—different groups construct their own
ideas about who or what is a valued source of
information for their purposes.
Student Profile: Gina
Gina is in trouble. She’s been researching the topic of her art
appreciation paper for over a week and is
coming up empty-handed. When she initially selected the topic,
she was excited. Her professor asked the
class to research an artist who made a significant impact on
their genre, and she chose blues and folk
singer Elizabeth Cotten. Cotten grew up near Gina’s hometown
in North Carolina and, like Gina, was a
self-taught guitarist and songwriter. Cotten was also a favorite
of Gina’s grandfather, who often played
Cotten’s records whenever he baked for the family.
Initially, Gina easily located information within the digital
university library. However, once she began
reviewing the most relevant sources, she found that they shared
similar information on Cotten, revealing
only a few pieces of information on how Cotten’s music
influenced American blues. Now Gina searches
the Internet, but her top search results are mostly links to
recordings of Cotten’s music.

Credibility of Authors
and Age of Information
From Title:
Internet Research: What’s Credible?
(https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?
wID=100753&xtid=58373)
https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=100753&xtid
=58373
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Gina knows she’s not supposed to use information from
Wikipedia in an academic paper, but she is
curious to see whether the site contains any new information on
Cotten. She locates the references section
of Cotten’s Wikipedia entry and is relieved to find that many of
the titles allude to Cotten’s impacts on
American music. She only needs two more sources to complete
her paper, and it looks like she’ll have
three to choose from!
The strategy Gina used to gather information from the citations
listed in the Wikipedia article is called
citation mining. It can be valuable, especially if you have
exhausted other avenues of research. However,
remember that you should use the CRAAPO test to evaluate
each source listed on a Wikipedia article

before using any of the information.
Identify the Publisher
The first step in evaluating the authority of a resource is to find
out who the publisher is. This information is
easier to find for some resources than for others. Books,
magazines, and journals identify the publisher
prominently, usually on the cover as well as on the copyright
page. Look for reputable publishers in a given field;
for example, scientific societies or university presses for
science texts and journals. Typically, the publishing
process for academic works includes peer review as well as
careful fact-checking and copyediting that ensures
information, including source references, is accurate. Self-
published material, in contrast, hasn’t been reviewed
or edited by publishing professionals and therefore needs
careful evaluation. With current technology, self-
published books can look very sophisticated; nevertheless, you
should check the author’s credentials to
determine whether they can be considered an authority on the
topic.
Also evaluate the organization responsible for publishing the
information you find on a website. A website’s
publisher or sponsoring organization can often be found at the
bottom of a webpage, alongside the copyright
symbol. Reputable organizations are usually stable, so the
information on the website most likely will not
undergo radical changes in a short time. Academic institutions
tend to be credible, as do government agencies,
although shifts in administrations can lead to additions or
omissions of information on government agency sites.
Not-for-profit organizations are usually considered more
credible than commercial websites because making a
profit or selling a product does not motivate them. However ,

some not-for-profit organizations exist to promote a
specific agenda rather than to provide objective information, so
conduct some research into the nature of the
organizations whose information you’re considering using.
Look for the organization’s mission statement, which
is often in an “About Us” section. Also take the time to
investigate the organization beyond what its own
literature says about it. A quick Internet search can reveal any
recent news or other relevant information that can
give you additional insights into the organization and what it
represents.
Highlight: Examine an Organization’s Authority
Pay attention to organizations with similar-sounding names;
sometimes a group will call itself something
that sounds like an established, reputable organization, but it
may have a different purpose. For example,
the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College
of Pediatricians sound like very similar
organizations. Are they?
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Chaay_Tee/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Take the time to verify author
information, such as academic degrees,
certifications, professional experience, and
group affiliations. If the article or website

doesn’t offer these details or you can’t
verify them, it may be beneficial to
continue looking for other sources.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (https://www.aap.org
(https://www.aap.org) ) is a professional
organization for pediatricians that was founded in 1930, has
over 60,000 members, and is a leading
source of clinical guidance, policy recommendations, and
education about children’s health.
The American College of Pediatricians
(https://www.acpeds.org/ (https://www.acpeds.org/) ) is a
socially
conservative group that was founded in 2002 and consists of
several hundred members. Some public
health experts believe that the organization advances its
members’ personal and religious agendas by
distorting the research of others (Collins, 2010).
As you can see, although their names are very similar, the
authority of these organizations varies greatly.
As this example shows, it’s essential to investigate the authority
of any organization publishing
information that you plan to use and consider the organization’s
purpose for publishing this information,
as discussed later in this chapter.
Identify the Author and the Author’s Credentials
Print sources typically list the author’s name prominently on the
cover, on the title page, or at the beginning of an article. On a
website, the author’s name may be harder to find. Look at the
top
or bottom of the page, or look for an “About Us” or “Contact
Us” section. You might have to dig around the site to find out

who authored the information.
Once you identify an author, evaluate that author’s expertise in
the subject area. An author’s credentials are the qualifications
that make them reputable in a specific field. Examine an
author’s
professional biography, which is often linked to the author’s
name in an article they’ve published, to discover their relevant
work history and other publications. You can also try searching
for additional information about the author online. When
evaluating an author’s credentials or qualifications, look for the
following items as possible indicators that the author can be
considered an expert in the field.
Academic background and degrees: Degrees listed after
an author’s name, such as PhD or MD, show that the
author completed many years of study and is qualified to
write on a topic. It is a good idea to make sure that the
author’s field of study relates to the topic about which
they are writing. Academic degrees also often indicate
that the author conducts research in that area.
Licensure or certification: In addition to academic
degrees, look for letters after the author’s name
indicating a special license or certification. These
indicate that the author has passed some type of
examination certifying that they are proficient in a
certain area. If you are not familiar with a particular
https://www.aap.org/
https://www.acpeds.org/
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certification, try searching the letters or the full name of
the credential using a search engine to find out what the
requirements are for obtaining that credential.
Requirements can include serving as an apprentice for a
specified length of time, passing a state exam, or some
other proof of proficiency. Often these licenses or
certifications are sponsored by a professional
organization that maintains a current list or database of
licensed members.
Work or other experience: In some fields, work
experience might be more important than the number of
years spent on a formal education. In addition to their
work at a company, authors might have served on
committees for professional groups or received special
recognition for work in their field, such as industry
awards or grants.
Affiliations: Sometimes authors are affiliated with
groups, such as academic institutions, companies,
government agencies, or professional organizations.
These affiliations might indicate where the author
works, or they might indicate the author’s membership
in an organization. As suggested earlier, investigate the
reputation of any groups with which the author is
associated. Affiliation with a credible organization
usually signifies the credibility of the author, since the
author serves as a representative of the organization.
Other publications: An author or journalist who has
written many publications on a topic has probably spent
considerable time studying that topic and thus might be
considered an expert. This is especially true if the
author’s other works have been published by reputable
websites, journals, or book publishers. Additionally,
scholars often cite other well-respected scholars in their
field, so if an author’s publications have been cited by

many other sources, they are probably an authority in
that area. Electronic journals will often indicate how
many times an article has been viewed or cited to help
assess the article’s impact.
Contact the Publisher or Author
When determining the authority of a source, look for contact
information on websites, including addresses,
phone numbers, and email addresses. You can often find them in
an “About Us” or “Contact Us” section. If you
have questions that aren’t answered either on the resource itself
or through additional searching of the author or
publisher, try contacting the source presenting the information.
Contact information can indicate transparency
and a willingness to engage with readers. In contrast, sources
that provide no contact information may have
something to hide. This is a sign that you should consider using
a different source.
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Read the URLs
You can also gather quite a bit of information about a webpage
by examining the URL. Earlier we explained how
to use the URL to determine the date the information was posted
online. The URL can also reveal the author,
publisher, who is sponsoring the information presented, as well
as the type of organization posting the

information. Each of these items will help you decide on the
authority of a source. Take a look at the following
sample URL to understand the different parts of it.
http://www.sampleurl.com/folder/file.html
http: This part of the URL stands for “hypertext transfer
protocol.” This is the language or set of rules
that computers use to communicate with each other when
transmitting information.
www: This part of the URL stands for “World Wide Web.”
Browsers usually add this on, even if you do
not type it into the address bar. As with “http://,” it usually is
not necessary to enter this part anymore.
sampleurl: This is the domain name, which is the unique address
for the web resource or the server on
which it exists. Like a physical mailing address, the domain
name must be unique in order for a browser
to know how to get to it. Often this is the name of the
organization that is responsible for the website.
.com: This is called a top-level domain (TLD). A limited
number of TLDs are available, and each can
tell you a lot about the type of website using it (Table 4.2).
Some TLDs are restricted to specific types of
organizations that meet certain criteria, and some can be used
by anyone.
/folder/file: This path takes you to a specific webpage. Just as
you organize your files on your desktop
into folders, the individual pages on a website reside in folders,
and this part of the URL shows the
location of those folders and files on the server where the
website exists.
.html: This is the file extension. It shows what type of file the
page is. In this example, .html means it’s a
webpage. Other file extensions you may see are .pdf, which you
can open with a PDF viewer like Adobe

Acrobat Reader; .docx for a Microsoft Word document file; or
.jpeg for an image or photograph.
Knowing the file type is not critical to evaluating the quality of
the information.
Table 4.2: Common top-level domains
Top-
level
domain
Website
type Notes
.com Usually
indicates a
commercial
website
These websites are often sponsored by a company and may be
intended to sell a
product. That does not mean that they cannot be credible. Many
.com websites
include reputable news outlets that contain great information.
There are no
restrictions on who can register a domain name with this TLD,
so the quality of
these websites will vary.
.org Usually
indicates a
not-for-profit
organization
Many of these websites are credible, especially those that are
sponsored by

established, reputable organizations like the American Cancer
Society. As with
.com websites, there are no restrictions on who can register a
.org website, so you
will find variations in the quality of information. Consider the
purpose of the
sponsoring organization; some may be promoting a certain
viewpoint or agenda.
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Top-
level
domain
Website
type Notes
.net Originally
intended for
organizations
like Internet
service
providers
These websites are now unrestricted, meaning anyone can
register for them, just
like .com and .org websites.
.edu Indicates an

educational
institution
Registration of this TLD is restricted to colleges and
universities, as well as some
large museums. Information found on these sites is generally
considered credible.
However, you should still take the time to identify the source’s
author, since many
student-run sites can still retain the .edu TLD.
.gov Indicates a
government
agency
These are generally considered credible. However, you should
still evaluate the
source using the rest of the CRAAPO test.
.mil Indicates a
U.S. military
branch’s
website
These are also generally considered credible. However, you
should still evaluate
the source using the rest of the CRAAPO test.
Irwin is making progress. He locates useful statistical
information from government websites, then turns his
attention to three .com websites. The author of the first site
claims to be the founder and chief executive officer
of a social media company, but an Internet search for the
company comes up empty, so Irwin dismisses the
source. An immigration lawyer is the author of the second site.
Although the information is relevant to his

research, Irwin doesn’t think the author’s credentials relate to
the topic well enough to establish authority. A
social media manager for a large company wrote Irwin’s third
pick. An Internet search on the author reveals
many more articles published in reputable marketing and
business magazines. Irwin is confident about the
authority of this third source. Now he’ll also have to determine
whether the information on the webpage is
accurate.
Section 4.4 Knowledge Check Quiz
1. Which is the best source of information for an academic
paper on bridge construction?
A. a home and garden magazine
B. a civil engineering journal
C. an architecture professor’s blog
2. The least authoritative source of information on the
symptoms of diabetes would be
__________.
A. MedlinePlus.gov
B. MayoClinic.org
C. DoctorHal.com
3. The most credible top-level domains are __________.
A. .net and .gov
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B. .org and .edu
C. .edu and .gov
Answers
1 (B), 2 (C), 3 (C)
A Reference Guide to APA 7th Edition
Adapted from the UAGC Writing Center APA 7th Ed.
References Guide
Articles
*When citing between two or 20 authors, list last name followed
by a comma and initials for each one, and precede the
final author’s name with an ampersand (&). When citing 21
authors or more, list the first 19, then precede the name of
the final author with an ellipses (…).
Online journal article with DOI
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Publication Title, volume
number(issue), pp–pp. https://doi.org/…
Example:
Beattie, B. R., & LaFrance, J. T. (2006). The law of demand
versus diminishing marginal utility. Review of Agricultural

Economics, 28(2), 263–271. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-
9353.2006.00286.x
Online journal article without DOI, found in UAGC Library
database
Format:
Author, A. (Year). Title of article. Publication Title, volume
number(issue), pp–pp.
Example:
Collins, M. E., Garlington, S., & Cooney, K. (2015). Relieving
human suffering: Compassion in social policy. Journal of
Sociology & Social Welfare, 42(1), 95–120.
Magazine article retrieved online
Format:
Author, A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Publication
Title, volume(issue), pp–pp. URL
Example:
Clay, R. A. (2014, December). Taking action against Ebola.
Monitor on Psychology, 45(11), 14.
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/12/ebola
Newspaper article retrieved online
Format:

Author, A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Newspaper
Title. URL
Example:
https://content.bridgepointeducation.com/curriculum/file/fb0c31
c7-e508-4a16-9d89-
d3021a0d7af4/1/APA%20References%20Guide.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9353.2006.00286.x
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/12/ebola
McAllister, J. (2017, July 5). Beaver Stadium prepares for
inaugural concert. Centre Daily Times.
https://www.centredaily.com/entertainment/this-
weekend/article159672269.html
Blog post
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of blog post. Blog
Name. URL
Example:
Hardy, M. (2010, October 29). E-ZPass is a life-saver
(literally). Freakonomics.
http://freakonomics.com/2010/10/29/e-
zpass-is-a-life-saver-literally/
Webpages and Websites

*A webpage will never be the home page of the URL. It is part
of a greater whole that is the website. When author and
site name are the same, omit the site name from the source
element. Provide the most specific date possible. Include a
retrieval date only when the content is designed to change over
time and the page is not archived.
Webpage with an author
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. Site Name.
URL
Example:
Lad, K. (2016, August 28). An overview of the colorful
traditional Mexican clothing. Buzzle.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/traditional-mexican-
clothing.html
Webpage with no individual author
Format:
Organization Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of webpage. Site
Name (if different than organization). URL
Example:
National Nurses United. (n.d.). What employers should do to
protect nurses from Zika.

https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/what-employers-should-
do-to-protect-rns-from-zika
Webpage with no author or organization
Format:
Title of webpage. (Year, Month Day). URL
Example:
Freud’s structural theory: The id, the ego, and the superego.
(n.d.). www.vakkur.com/psy/freud.html
https://www.centredaily.com/entertainment/this-
weekend/article159672269.html
http://freakonomics.com/2010/10/29/e-zpass-is-a-life-saver-
literally/
http://freakonomics.com/2010/10/29/e-zpass-is-a-life-saver-
literally/
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/traditional-mexican-
clothing.html
https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/what-employers-should-
do-to-protect-rns-from-zika
http://www.vakkur.com/psy/freud.html
Report: Corporate/government, group author, retrieved online
*If a report, series, or issue number is given, provide this in
parentheses after the title. Describe less common forms of
reports in square brackets after the title like the example below.
If the report number is available, and the report needs a

special description, place the parentheses before the brackets in
the reference entry.
Format:
Name of Group. (Year, Month Day). Title of report (Report
number, if available) [Description, if needed].
Publisher Name (omit if the same name as group author). DOI
or URL
Example:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2019, July). The DHS
strategic plan: Fiscal years 2020–2024 [Agency strategy
publication].
https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0702_pl
cy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-
24.pdf
Article on a news website
Format:
Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of article. Site Name.
URL
Example:
Dunn, J. (2020, January 6). Recycling collectors bothered by
messy bins. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/article/recycling-
collectors-bothered-by-messy-bins

https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/ files/publications/19_0702_pl
cy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-24.pdf
https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0702_pl
cy_dhs-strategic-plan-fy20-24.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/article/recycling-collectors-bothered-by-
messy-bins
https://www.cnn.com/article/recycling-collectors-bothered-by-
messy-binsOnline journal article with DOIOnline journal article
without DOI, found in UAGC Library databaseMagazine article
retrieved onlineNewspaper article retrieved onlineA Reference
Guide to APA 7th EditionArticlesBlog postWebpage with an
authorWebpage with no individual authorWebpage with no
author or organizationWebpages and WebsitesReport:
Corporate/government, group author, retrieved onlineArticle on
a news website
Please use link below for popular source
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/deals
/golden-parachute/
Week 2: Exploring Scholarly and Popular Sources Template
Your name:
Date: 01 Nov 21
Directions: Complete all parts of this template, then save it to
your computer with a new file name. Remember to upload it to
Waypoint for grading.
State the two subtopics you are expanding for your Wikipedia
stub article:
Subtopic 1Business ethics and the golden parachute
Subtopic 2The impact of the golden parachute on shareholder
shares and earnings.

Scholarly Source: Identify one scholarly source from the library
to support your subtopic(s) and enter its information here:
Provide an APA-formatted reference for this sourceUjah, N. U.,
& Okafor, C. E. (2019). The effect of a golden parachute on
managed earnings. Managerial Finance.
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/MF-02-
2017-
0041/full/html?casa_token=tPTyApE3yfAAAAAA:Pa1PgQM7c
Eu-
3PK2ZUEIXtxGKGnKnyIWBvSAVZ98qBdmaBnJC2r5G2Jl_Ls
ZmjvZfSG-rzbuk0Qq8nWGhYmd-
2CUy6lxYitOElbCX8Tcea_xwztvnjU
Briefly describe the main point of the article.This specific
chosen article basically explains and investigates the influence
that executive compensation has on the ability to manage
earnings that an organization has. This article specifically loos
at the executive contractual that is referred to as the Golden
parachute. The researchers in this article specifically look at the
reasons as to why the triggering of Golden parachute occurs and
the reason given include termination of employment, takeover
and if the existing executive remains with the company through
the recessionary period. These reasons therefore justify the
golden parachute and how the same affects business ethics.
Identify three characteristics that indicate the article is
scholarly.
1. This scholarly article uses that standard requirements when it
comes to researching on the issue that it is tackling in that the
article uses identified methods and approaches that are required
for the article to be identified to being scholarly.
2. The authors who wrote this article are both professionals in
their field of specialty and have specifically completed the top
most achievement in terms of education when it comes to
business related courses

3. The article used in this case made researches from other
sources and the employed sources are referenced at the end of
the article and in text citations are used within the article that
help in reducing the possibility of plagiarism
Explain what information provided in the article will assist you
in expanding on the subtopic(s) you selectedThe specific
information covered in this article will be very helpful
especially in terms of understanding the golden parachute and
the business ethics that are aligned with the same. The article
will also help me in identifying the rationale that is used in the
process of applying golden parachute in a business setting.
Popular Source: Identify one popular source from an internet
search to support your subtopic(s) and enter its information
here:
Provide an APA-formatted reference for this source.Huo, Z.,
Zhang, J., & Huang, M. (2021). The Motivation and
Consequences of Golden Parachute Provisions: A Case Study of
TBEA Co., Ltd. China Journal of Accounting Studies, 1-27.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21697213.2021.1
977890
Briefly describe the main point of the article.The article in this
case researches and examines the business impact that golden
parachute specifically has on both earnings and shareholders.
The article in this case made a case study on a Chinese company
whose golden parachute payments were considered to being
more than 1000 times the annual salary that the executives
earned. From looking at this case, the findings helped in
understanding the impact that this has on both the shareholders
and the earnings of a company that’s adopting this.
Identify three characteristics that indicate the article is popular.
1. This article has also been cited by many authors from the
statistics shown in the site where the same is gotten from.

2. This is also gotten from a .com website.
3. From the site where this article is gotten, statistics shows that
there have been more than 2000 searches on this article per
second
Explain what information provided in the article will assist you
in expanding on the subtopic(s) you selected.The information
gotten specifically from this source will help me in the process
of identifying way in which the impact of golden parachute can
be reduced in an organization. For example the article gives
specific information on how GP can be reduced by looking at
specific areas in a company such as the market reaction that is
there to the rescinding of GP, firm value and other factors.
Week 1: Assignment
Your name:
Date: 25 Oct 21
Directions: Choose your topic from the List of Wikipedia Stub
Articles. You may choose any one of the listed topics that you
find interesting. Complete the all parts of this template, then
save it to your computer with a new file name. Don’t forget to
upload it to Waypoint for grading.
State the title of the Wikipedia stub article you would like to
expand:
The golden parachute
Explain what interests you about this stub article:
It is identified as the agreement between a company and upper
executive employee concerning the award of significant benefits
if their employment is terminated. The awards take the form of
severance payouts, bonuses, stocks or other benefits. In most of

the agreements, the benefits are to be offered if employment
termination is due to corporate acquisition or merger. Thus, it
was selected due to the ethical issues associated with the
practice.
Share two additional subtopics that you would like to expand:
Subtopic 1: Business ethics and the golden parachute
Explain why you chose to explore subtopic 1
The business ethics associated with the practice was questioned
as the benefits offered to the executive employee seem
excessive. The notion is based on the fact that senior
management received substantial payouts after the acquisition
or merger of companies. Additionally, while senior management
benefits from the golden parachute other stakeholders are
subjected to either layoffs, disrupted relations, or negative
externalities.
State the first specific question you would like to answer about
subtopic 1
The reason for the golden parachute to be reserved to executive
employees
State the second specific question you would like to answer
about subtopic 1
The initial purpose of implementing the golden parachute policy
or practice
Share what information you may need to find to answer each of
the questions you entered above
To answer the questions, research on the value and purpose of
golden parachutes in large companies will be evaluated. The
objective is to understand its role in the company’s leadership
strategy.
Subtopic 2: The impact of the golden parachute on shareholder
shares and earnings
Explain why you chose to explore subtopic 2
In the previous section, it was mentioned that golden parachutes
impact stakeholder shares, it is noteworthy that the policy also

affects their earnings. The executives may not consider the
interests of the shareholders
State the first specific question you would like to answer about
subtopic 2
Why the golden parachute is not a good practice for the
shareholder’s earnings.
State the second specific question you would like to answer
about subtopic 2
The effects of the golden parachute on managed earnings
Share what information you may need to find to answer each of
the questions you entered above
The information that may be needed include an evaluation of the
impact of golden parachutes in various companies and their
impact on shareholder and managed earnings
Identify at least three keywords for each subtopic that might
help you find the information you need:
Subtopic 1
Subtopic 2
1. Business ethics
1. Golden parachute and shareholders
2. Purpose of golden parachute
2. impact of golden parachutes
3. Executive employees and golden parachute
3. reasoning for golden parachutes
Minimum of 250
Write
· Explain what makes your scholarly source an authority for
your Wikipedia stub article subtopics.

· Explain how the information from the article is relevant to
your subtopics. Include specific information from the article
that would demonstrate relevance.
· Discuss the overall strength of the article. Is it appropriate for
your subtopics based on your evaluation? If your article is not
appropriate, explain what your next step will be.
· Provide an APA Style-formatted reference for your scholarly
source at the end of your post.
· Describe how using the selected reading strategy impacted
your reading of your article, and what adjustments you might
make to increase your efficiency in the future.
Respond to Peers (50 words)
Response 1
· Feedback or helpful tips about your peers' evaluation of the
scholarly source.
· Additional adjustments your peers could make to increase the
effectiveness of the reading strategy they chose.
Response 2
scholarly source.
Prepare
· Read the Week 3 Lesson.
· Read Sections 4.3 through 4.4 of the textbook.

· Review A Reference Guide to APA 7th Edition (Links to an
external site.).
· Read about the various reading strategies described in the SSC
and apply at least one of the strategies as you read and evaluate
the scholarly article.
· Consider the How to Read a Scholarly Article (Links to an
external site.) interactive that you completed in the Week 2
quiz.
Write
· Provide an APA Style-formatted reference for your scholarly
source at the end of your post.
· Describe how using the selected reading strategy impacted
your reading of your article, and what adjustments you might
make to increase your efficiency in the future.
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words and is due
on Day 3 (Thursday).
In your peer responses, consider sharing
Respond to Peers
· Review your classmates’ posts and respond to two of your
peers. Each peer response should be a minimum of 50 words.
In your peer responses, consider sharing
scholarly source.

POST 1
Class,
The article I chose for my stub article can be considered an
authority based on the information provided. My article was
published by Vytautas Magnus University, which is a public
university in Kaunas, Lithuania. Another piece to consider is
the authors of my source, which are Badrud Tamam, Aloysius
Duran Corebima, Siti Zubaidah, and Endang Endang Suarsini.
All of the authors are involved with a university, whether as a
professor, lecturer or researcher. This information shows that
my source should not discredit my research.
your subtopics. Include specific details from the article that
would demonstrate relevance.
I will be writing about day schools, and one of the subtopics I
chose is the difference in school performance between urban
and rural areas. This article goes into detail about why and how
rural schools perform at the same level or even better than
urban schools. The article mentions that rural schools (based on
prior observations) perform better than urban schools. Though
multiple studies have been conducted, some have obtained
different results. These studies led researchers to believe that
urban students have better critical thinking than rural schools
(Tamam et al., 2021).
I feel the strength of the article is good based on the
information I have read. My only concern is that the article is

written from the view of a different country, and I am not sure
if that will be a problem or not. This is my one genuine concern
as some of the other articles I have saved are based out of the
U.S. My next step would be to continue looking for articles that
correlate better with my further research.
· Describe how using the selected reading strategy impacted the
reading of your article and what adjustments you might make to
increase your efficiency in the future.
I enjoyed using the reading strategy for my article reading. It
helped me search faster than I had before by showing me the
right places to look for information related to my research. I
think for the future, I would like to slow down my reading just a
bit. I found myself often reading/ skimming too fast and felt I
had to go back because I forgot what I had just read! Overall,
the reading method helped tremendously.
POST 2
· Explain what makes your scholarly source authority for your
Wikipedia stub article subtopics.
My article covers the subject in encyclopedic detail.
Additionally, it provides a general guide for dealing with the
stub I chose as well as more specialized material.
My choice of this article was based on the purpose for which it
was written. I wanted to make sure my scholarly source was
organized and focused. I wanted an article with pictures and

content that would catch my attention for my popular source.
As a whole, my article was strong because it described in a very
detailed manner what the researcher did, with whom, and for
how long. As a result, I was never suspicious because I could
follow what they did and did not have to guess at any details.
Based on my evaluation, it was appropriate for my subtopics.
· Describe how using the selected reading strategy impacted the
reading of your article, and what adjustments you might make to
increase your efficiency in the future.
Reading articles using the reading strategy was enjoyable.
Finding the right places to look for information related to my
research helped me out a lot. Some documents I read are
supposed to be useful, but I do not find anything relevant, or I
find I have to reread them multiple times before I understand
them. But by using the reading strategy, I am gaining control
over the reading process.

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