Not all information resources are created equal! Be sure you think about what kind of information you are using. Some quick guidelines:
- Authority - Can you tell who the author is? What expertise (formally credentialed - like a Ph.D. - or experiential) do they have with the subject matter? Who is the publisher and what do you know about the publisher's credentials?
- Currency - What is the publication date? This is especially important if you need current/up-to-date information.
- Audience - Is it written/intended for an academic or a popular audience?
- Bias - What is the author's point of view?
- Relevance - Is the information relevant to your research question?
- Accuracy - Does the author cite his/her sources?
See the Penn State University Library's Evaluating Information page for more information about how to ask and answer the above questions, and their Evaluating Information Rubric for tips on what to look for in books, periodicals, and web sites.
NCSU Libraries also have a Peer Review in Three Minutes video that does an excellent job of explaining peer review.
