This document provides guidance on evaluating sources for a research paper based on 5 criteria: currency, reliability/objectivity, accuracy/coverage, authority, and purpose. For each criterion, it lists several questions to consider about the source and its content, such as when it was published, whether it has bias, contains errors or omissions, the author's credentials, and the purpose of its creation. It also notes some reliable and unreliable domains for websites. The overall message is to carefully examine sources across these five criteria to determine their usefulness and trustworthiness for a research paper.

1. How to determine if the
information you find is
usable in your paper?
There are five criteria to look for in a source:
•Currency
•Reliability/Objectivity
•Accuracy/Coverage
•Authority
•Purpose

2. CURRENCY
• When was it published or produced?
• Is it a first edition? (Many editions of a book
indicate it has become standard and is reliable.)
• When was the web site last updated? (If there is no
information about the date of publication or update
don’t assume it is current)
• How many dead links are on the web page?
• Is the information out-dated? (It may have been
current at one time, but is it now?)

3. REALIABILITY/OBJECTIVITY
• How detailed is the information? Is it too elementary, too
technical, too advanced, or just right for your needs?
• Is there a bibliography at the end?
• Is the web site free of advertising?
• Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
• Is there a published review of the book?
• Is the information well-researched?
• Is the author objective and un-biased?

4. ACCURACY/COVERAGE
•Are there any spelling or grammar mistakes, or typos?
•Are there facts or statistics? Where are they coming
from?
•Is information omitted or too much included?
•Does the source update other sources or add new
information?
•Is it free, or is there a fee to access the information?
•Do you need special software to view the
information?

5. Beware of Internet Resources!
ABC News
Jennifer Cox

6. AUTHORITY
•What are the author’s credentials?
•Are any credentials even given?
•Is the book, article, web site, etc. written in
their area of expertise?
•Is it published by a university press? (If so, it is
probably scholarly.)
•Check the domain of a web site.
•Know the difference between an author and a
webmaster.

7. Web Site Domains
Reliable web site domains include:
.edu (educational site)
.gov (government site)
.org (non-profit organization site) Be careful to
evaluate .orgs very closely!
Unreliable web site domains include:
.com (commercial site – may contain biased or nonauthoritative information)
.net (network site)

8. PURPOSE
•What is the purpose of the document? Why
was it produced?
• educational
• commercial(i.e. selling)
• entertainment
• promotional
•(A book’s forward or introduction or a
website’s “about us” page often provides this
info.)

9. What is Copyright?
Full Definition of COPYRIGHT
: the exclusive legal right to reproduce,
publish, sell, or distribute the matter and
form of something (as a literary, musical, or
artistic work)
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copyright

10. Why is Copyright or Copyright
Infringement Important for you?

11. Why is Copyright or Copyright
Infringement Important for you?

12. If you have any questions or need
help locating resources,etc. Please
feel free to contact me.
Jennifer Cox
Librarian
jacox@aii.edu or 503-382-4829