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Evaluating which sources you should use
When looking at what you should use for academic or professional work, it’s essential that you locate and use the best evidence to learn about the topic, so that the views you express in your writing are well informed, stand up to questioning and will be accepted by your readers.
You should think critically about which sources to use. There are millions of sources of information available in many forms, but not all are suitable for academic work. For example, a medical researcher would not use information or opinions from a populist magazine in determining health procedures. Instead, they would look for data, reports and comments from qualified practitioners. In all college and university work, you should try to locate information that has academic credibility.
Look for sources that are:
Accurate: evidenced by references that substantiate the author’s findings or opinions. Ask yourself: is this fact or opinion?
Current: depending on the subject, this could be medical information that is up to date, or is an older source that provides an insight into earlier historians’ views on a topic
Objective: think about why the author created it. Some want to inform with facts and evidence, some to entertain, others to broadcast their opinions and persuade you to follow them, or to sell you a product. Is the information balanced, avoiding bias and informing you of different opinions even if these disagree with the author’s views? Check for ‘fake news’: can you check this source against others?
Relevant: to your research topic. For example, ensure that legal sources found online apply to the country you are writing about, and don’t assume that a marketing strategy for one social group will work for everyone
Named: it has named authors or organisations that you check for their authority to write or speak on this subject, such as the author’s experience, where they work and their scholarly or professional qualifications
