HOW TO
Evaluate What You Have Found

When doing library research for an essay, report, seminar, or term paper, it is important not only to LOCATE information for your chosen topic, but also to EVALUATE the information you have found. Every web site is NOT a valid source of information.  You must learn to look at each site critically to determine if it is reliable.  The first criterion you are most likely to apply is whether or not the material you have located is pertinent to your topic. A few minutes spent glancing at the table of contents of a book or web site, or scanning the abstract (if there is one) as well as the opening and concluding paragraphs of an article can often provide enough information to let you know if the entire publication is relevant to your subject. But even articles, books, reports, etc. whose subject matter is focused on your chosen topic need to be examined critically to determine if they are an appropriate resource for your purpose.

• What is the author's purpose for researching and writing this web page, article, or book, etc.? Is it clear who the audience is for this writing?

• Does this web site, article or book seem objective or does the author have a bias or make assumptions?

• What method of obtaining data or conducting research was used by the author?

• At what conclusions does the author arrive?

• Is there any supportive evidence provided to enforce the author's conclusions such as charts, maps, bibliographies, documents, etc.?

• What is the reputation of the publisher or producer of the web site, book or journal? Is it a private or political organization, a commercial press, or university press?

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Often the answer to these questions can be found by a careful examination of the article, book, or report itself. If the information was published in a journal, check as well any information given about the journal, such as sponsoring association, etc. and its editorial board. Look to see if the guidelines for submitting manuscripts are clearly stated and if submissions are refereed or if the journal only publishes solicited articles.

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If the information was published in a book, you can check for a book review in an appropriate index, such as the Book Review Index, located in the Library.   Look under either the author's name or title of the book in the issues pertinent to the year the book was published, as well as the following year. (You don't know exactly when the reviews will appear.) Ask at the Information Desk for the names of other reviewing indexes and their locations.

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If desired, additional information about authors often can be found by checking appropriate subject related Who's Who titles and/or directories of pertinent professional associations found in the Reference collection. You could also check on the influence a particular author had on the research of others in his or her field by using a Citation Index.

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Bibliographies are useful both for helping you locate information as they cite relevant publications and, if annotated, for giving you some evaluative comments regarding materials on your topic. (Annotated bibliographies include written comments on each publication cited.)

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It is unlikely that you would want to take all these steps with every book or article you read, or every reference you include in a term paper, report, or essay. However, in today's information society, it often can be easier to locate numerous publications relevant to your topic than to select those titles that are the best references for your particular focus. Furthermore, it can be vital to be able to apply critical judgment regarding those references to which you give heavy weight in your paper.

Margaret Hendley

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How To, No. 28 Evaluating What You Have Found

http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/howto/howto28.pdf

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