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SLS 1101 Biography Assignment: Evaluating Sources

The Deep Web

The World Wide Web, or Web, is a component of the Internet.  A part of the Web is easily found through search engines, like Google, but a large amount of Web information is part of the Deep or Invisible Web, inaccessible to search-engine indexing. Commercially & educationally related databases are part of this invisible retention area for information, and this section often holds some of the most quality information on the Internet. 

 

 


Evaluating Information Resources

Whether from a book, magazine, newspaper, website, online database, or some other medium, you should always evaluate the information resources you choose to make sure they meet certain criteria, such as the following:

  • Authorship - Who wrote the title? What affiliations does the author have? Is the author an expert in the field? Even if a Ph.D follows their names, authors sometimes only provide an opinion or may be writing about an area outside of their expertise.

  • Objectivity - No one is truly objective; we all hold certain values or judgments that integrate into our character and actions, including writing, but some authors and agencies do demonstrate far less objectivity than others. That's why you should recognize bias in the works you use for research. Ask yourself if the source is for research, information, promotional, or advocacy purposes. On the flip side, you should note that, in your research papers, you can use a source's bias to your advantage to create a stronger argument and anticipate the opposition.
  • Accuracy - Corroborate your evidence. If only one author reports a certain fact, ask yourself why. What makes this author's conclusions so unique? While perhaps he or she truly is doing one-of-a-kind research or offering an original interpretation, you still may examine how the author reached his or her conclusion. Look for any loopholes in the argument or the methodology.
  • Scope - What does the source cover? Does it cover enough of the topic to benefit your argument? Is the source beneath or below your reading/understanding level? 
  • Currency - What is the source's publication date? Is this source offering the most up-to-date information? If the source is using words, such as recent or new, and it is published more than a year or two ago, then you should be concerned about its currency.