ENG 101 (D. Hayles) : Resource Evaluation

Here is a video created by UMW to better help students understand evaluating resources. 

Who’s responsible for checking that the information in a Web document (including news sites) is accurate? You! 

Nobody else oversees the accuracy of billions of World Wide Web documents. Many websites offer quick, convenient, accurate information, but many do not. With no overall standards for quality, websites may contain information which may be inaccurate, outdated or offensive to you. 

These guidelines will help you evaluate any information, on the Web or elsewhere:

Author:

• Who is the author, producer or source? Is the author listed?
• What is the authority of the author? Are any credentials or background given?
• Is the author an expert on this particular topic?
• Is contact information for the author available?
• If from an organization, is their background given? Is it a group’s official site?

Date and Currency:

• When was the information produced?
• When was the information last updated?
• Are the links up-to-date, or do they lead to “dead ends”?
• For the particular subject, does it matter if the information is the latest?

Bias/Objectivity:

• Does the information offer facts or opinions? How can you tell the difference between the two?
• Are political, cultural or other biases evident? Does it offer all viewpoints?
• Is the author trying to sell a product or have other vested interests?
• Is it comprehensive? What aspects of the topic does it cover?

Content:

• What is the purpose of the resource? What does it contain?
• Did you choose to use the site because it appeared at the top of your search results list, or because you decided it was relevant?
• Is it accurate? Does it correspond to other facts you know about the topic?
• When did the site start? (If not dated, be wary.)
• Who is the audience? Does it match your level of familiarity with the topic?
• Is the information clearly organized? Is it designed well?
• Are the information sources cited in a bibliography?
• Does the information offer primary (original) research, or is it derived or compiled from other information?
• What other resources (both print and non-print) are available in this area?  

1) Scholarly journals

• Intended audience: Scholars, researchers, professionals
• Are sources cited?: Yes
• Who wrote the articles?  Scholars and researchers
• Type of advertising: None, or for professional events (academic conferences, university-published books)
• Level of analysis: High
• Who is the publisher? Professional organizations, usually
• Other traits: Reports original research
• Examples:  Journal of Marriage and Family, Journal of Studies on Alcohol.

Scholarly journals may also be called peer reviewed or refereed journals. This indicates that a panel of experts reviewed the article manuscripts thoroughly before they were published. If other researchers based their work on faulty original research, bad research would spread quickly!
 

2) Popular Periodicals:

a) News magazines & newspapers

• Intended audience: General audience
• Are sources cited? No
• Who wrote the articles?  Staff writers, freelance writers or scholars
• Type of advertising: Variety of general-interest products (clothes, cars, food, etc.)
• Level of analysis: Low to medium; depends on the article
• Who is the publisher? For-profit businesses, primarily
• Other traits:  Often entertainment-oriented; covers very current events
• Examples:  New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time, Maclean's, U.S. News & World Report. 

b) Popular magazines

• Intended audience: General audience (no special expertise in a subject)
• Are sources cited? Rarely
• Who wrote the articles?  Staff writers, freelance writers

• Type of advertising: Variety of general-interest products (clothes, cars, food, etc.)
• Level of analysis: Low; can be sensational or superficial
• Who is the publisher? For-profit businesses
• Other traits: Good introduction to a current topic or current events
• Examples: Glamour, People, Sport Illustrated.

c) Trade magazines

• Intended audience: Professionals or specialists; uses technical jargon
• Are sources cited? No
• Who wrote the articles?  Editorial staff, freelance writers
• Type of advertising:  Industry-specific products, usually
• Level of analysis: Medium
• Who is the publisher? Trade or professional association or businesses
• Other traits: Covers news & trends in a specific industry
• Examples: Beverage World, Progressive  Grocer, Modern Tire Dealer, American Libraries.

d) Opinion Periodicals

• Intended audience: Educated general audience
• Are sources cited? No
• Who wrote the articles?  Editorial staff, freelance writers
• Type of advertising:  Variety of products
• Level of analysis: Medium; opinions, commentary, etc.
• Who is the publisher? Businesses, usually
• Other traits: Could be helpful in pro/con arguments
• Examples:  Nation, Commentary, New Republic, National Review.

Some publications could fit in more than one category. For instance: Scientific American is a scholarly journal with scientific but readable articles. It has a suggested reading list, but does not actually cite its sources. When in doubt, ask your instructor if certain articles are suitable for your research paper.

For help with citing articles, visit the college’s Center for Reading and Writing on the main floor of the library for personalized assistance in organizing and writing your paper and bibliography.

• Burger King French fries are the best fast-food restaurant French fries.
• A "day" (from sunrise to sunset) on Mars is longer than a day on Earth.

These are two statements. One is a fact, and one is an opinion. It may seem obvious from these simplistic examples which is which, but when reading more advanced sources, or from a particularly talented writer, the differences might be harder to spot. 

Learning to separate fact from opinion is especially important when you're using that information to make political decisions. Staying informed about what's actually going on in your country, and how your government works, is key to being an informed and empowered citizen.

The CRW has hours for our Queensbury campus and our Saratoga Branch. Those hours are listed below: The CRW is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday in Queensbury. In Saratoga, it's open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. 

For more information regarding the CRW, including scheduling an appointment, please visit their website at this link: Center for Reading and Writing Website