Your research project is vitally important. Look for information from authoritative sources and well-known authors. Verify with a web search that the author is an authority. An article about the education practices in primary schools may not be useful if the author is a professor of anthropology.
If you are looking for resources about scientific discoveries in the 20th century, the author should have the education and experience to demonstrate their authority in that particular field of study or event.
As you read through your gathered information and read the article, try to identify possible biases. Does the author seem to favor one argument? Does the author not mention one position? Knowing the author's personal biases or pre-determined ideas will identify where you need to find additional information.
Publishers may be biased and publish information that only supports their ideas. Authors may accept grants or funding from outside corporations or people for their research, resulting in articles showing these corporations or their products favorably and ignoring any negative findings or data.
Evaluating a Source
Created by a team of librarians at California State University, Chico, the CRAAP test is a great way to evaluate information.
Currency: How old is the information? Is the information still relevant? What newer findings have been made? Do you need current information for your topic?
Relevance: Does this information relate to your topic? Who is the author's intended audience? Is this source useful for a college-level project?
Authority: Who are the authors and sponsors? Are the authors qualified to write on this topic? Have the authors provided any contact information or other credentials?
Accuracy: Is the information true? Have others reviewed the information in the same field? Is the information, study, or resource biased? Have the authors provided evidence to support their claims? Does the information match what you already know? Can you verify the information using other sources?
Purpose: Are the authors trying to inform, sell, teach, or persuade the audience? What are the authors' biases? Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
