Evaluating Resources

An important part of research is the ability to determine if a resource or source is a scholarly object (also referred to as academic, peer-reviewed or refereed publication) written by experts in a particular field that serve to keep the community up to date on the most recent research and findings in their chosen fields.

While the details that follow apply to Digital Humanities, understanding how to assess the credibility of the information you come across in your study and research is essential in any field. More information is at our fingertips than ever before (IBM, 2012) and the amount of information makes it even harder to determine which information can be trusted. The ability to critically evaluate information is especially important in an age where ‘post truth’, ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts’ are part of our contemporary social discourse.

Using credible sources to back up your argument in your research gives your writing credibility. When examining a resource, the Illinois Library recommends that you look for the following:

Authors

• Are author names provided?
  Are the authors’ credentials provided?
  Are the credentials relevant to the information provided?

Publishers

• Who is the publisher of the information?
  Is the publisher an academic institution, scholarly, or professional organisation?
  Is their purpose for publishing this information evident?

Audience

• Who is the intended audience of this source?
  Is the language geared toward those with knowledge of a specific discipline rather than the general public?

Content

• Why is the information being provided?
  Are sources cited?
  Are there charts, graphs, tables, and bibliographies included?
  Are research claims documented?
  Are conclusions based on evidence provided?
  How long is the source?

Currency/Timeliness

• Is the date of publication evident?