Welcome readers! This blog is written in response as a part of my last Semester assignment in Paper No. 209 Research Methodology. In this blog I will explore the topic which is Importance of Evaluating sources in Research Writing.
● Name :- Hetal Pathak
● Roll No. :- 09
● Semester :- 4 [ Batch 2022- 2024]
● Enrollment No. :- 4069206420220022
● Paper No. :- 209
● Paper Name :- Research Methodology
● Topic :- Importance of Evaluating the sources in Research Writing
● Submitted to :- Smt. S.B. Gardi Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
● Email Address :- hetalpathak28@gmail.com
● Date of Submission :- 26th April, 2024
Importance of Evaluating the Sources in Research Writing :-
Introduction :-
All researchers, students as well as professional scholars, need to assess the quality of any work scrupulously before using and citing it. Students writing their first research papers often find it difficult to evaluate sources. Not all sources are equally reliable or of equal quality. In reading and evaluating potential sources, you should not assume that something is truthful or trustworthy just because it appears in print or is on the Internet. Some material may be based on incorrect or outdated information or on poor logic, and the author's knowledge or view of the subject may be biassed or too limited. Weigh what you read against your own knowledge and intelligence as well as against other treatments of the subject. Focus particularly on the authority, accuracy, and currency of the sources you use.
Evaluating sources means recognizing whether the information you read and include in your research is credible. Despite the large amount of information available, both in print and online, not all of it is valid, useful, or accurate. Evaluating sources of information that you might include in your writing is an important step in any research process.
When writing research papers, not only will you be searching for information, but you will be evaluating the sources for credibility. You have to decide where to look, how to recognize credible sources, and how to cross-check your information. Learning how to evaluate effectively is a skill you need both for your course papers and for your life.
Significance of Evaluating Sources :-
We make better decisions and construct more convincing arguments when we understand the quality of the information we're using. In an academic context our ability to create knowledge and meaning depends on our ability to analyse and interpret information with precision. To evaluate information is to analyse information from a critical perspective.We also need to consider the relationships among different sources and how they work together to form “conversations” of diverse perspectives surrounding a particular research question.
The questions that follow can help you think through the evaluation of information sources. Keep in mind that evaluation is not simply about determining whether a source is “reliable” or “not reliable.” Instead, it's more useful to consider the degree to which a source is reliable for a given purpose. The primary goal of evaluation is to understand the significance and value of a source in relation to other sources and your own thinking on a topic.
Source evaluation plays a crucial role in library literacy as it enables individuals to become critical and discerning consumers of information. In an era where information is readily accessible through various sources, the ability to evaluate the credibility, reliability, and relevance of sources is paramount.
Source evaluation helps individuals distinguish between credible and unreliable sources. Not all information available in libraries or on the internet is trustworthy or accurate. By employing evaluation techniques, such as assessing the author’s credentials, examining the publisher or hosting platform, and checking for biases or conflicts of interest, individuals can determine the reliability of a source. This enables them to avoid misinformation or biassed viewpoints, promoting informed decision-making.
Evaluating sources ensures the relevance and appropriateness of the information for a particular research or learning objective. Libraries offer a multitude of resources, including books, articles, databases, and websites. By evaluating the currency, depth, and comprehensiveness of a source, individuals can assess its suitability for their needs. This not only saves time and effort but also enhances the quality and accuracy of the information gathered.
‘It Fosters Critical Thinking Skills.’
Source evaluation holds immense importance in library literacy. By enabling individuals to assess the credibility, relevance, and validity of sources, it equips them with the necessary skills to make informed decisions, avoid misinformation, and engage in critical thinking. Ultimately, source evaluation empowers individuals to become lifelong learners capable of navigating the ever-expanding world of information.
Criteria for Evaluating Sources :-
Authority :- Identify the Author(s) and whether they are experts in their field. You may need to check biographical sources, to see that your author is a recognized authority on the subject, such as Biography Index, Who's Who, or Contemporary Authors. For web resources, identify the website's sponsor (university, company, organisation, or individual). Determine if the source contains a bibliography; this may indicate that the author incorporates research published by others. In the case of news articles, journalists are not always experts. Regardless, they can still provide credible information. You should always evaluate the credentials and career of a journalist, and take a closer look at the news source that is publishing the information.
● Peer Review :- Most scholarly journals and academic book publishers are committed to a policy of consultant review-commonly referred to by scholars as "peer review." In peer review, publishers seek the advice of expert readers, or referees, before considering a manuscript for publication. Each consultant reads the work and sends the publisher a report evaluating the manuscript and, in general, either recommending or not recommending it for publication. Readers comment on such matters as the importance of the subject, the originality and soundness of the argument, the accuracy of the facts, and the currency of the research. At most scholarly journals and presses, moreover, there is also an editorial board that similarly reviews the manuscript, along with the readers' reports, before deciding whether to publish the work. Thus,a manuscript submitted to a refereed publication must undergo rigorous scrutiny before it is published.
● Internet Sources :- Assessing Internet resources is a particular challenge. Whereas the print publications that researchers depend on are generally issued by reputable publishers, like university presses, that accept accountability for the quality and reliability of the works they distribute, relatively few electronic publications currently have comparable authority. Some Internet publications are peer-reviewed, but many are
not. Online materials are often self-published, without any outside review.
What to Look For :- In evaluating any source, print or electronic, look especially for information on the following aspects. Following Figure shows how these considerations apply to a specific Web site.
2. Accuracy and Verifiability :- If you are evaluating scholarly material, check to see that the work's sources are indicated, so that its information can be verified. The sources probably appear in a list of works cited. The titles in the list might also tell you something about the breadth of the author's knowledge of the subject and about any possible bias. A Web publication might supply hypertextual links to the sources. Note, too, whether the document or site gives an email address or otherwise tells how you can ask the author or sponsoring organisation for further information or clarification.
3. Currency :- Current information is important, but currency means different things for different disciplines. Depending on your assignment, it may be better to use older resources. For example, if you are writing a history paper about World War II, using primary sources from the 1940s may be appropriate. Even though the sources are 50 years old, it can be useful in the context of your research. For web resources, determine when the site was last updated. Also, check the links to see if they work properly. Broken links may indicate that the website hasn't been updated recently.
The publication date of a print source suggests how current the author's scholarship is. Although online documents and sites have the potential for continual updating, many remain in their original states and, depending on the subject, may be out-of-date. When considering any resource, be sure at least one date is assigned to it. Several dates are sometimes listed for an electronic publication. For example, if a document on the Web had a previous print existence, there could be the date of print publication as well as the date of electronic publication. In addition, there might be the date when the material was last revised or updated. Ideally, a document should record all dates of publication and revision.
4. Relevancy :- Make sure the level of information is appropriate for your research. It is important to look widely; do not settle on the first source you find. Sources at the top of a list of search results aren't guaranteed to be relevant for your topic and appropriate sources for you to use; you must determine for yourself how well a source relates to your topic and whether it's appropriate to use for your purposes.
For example, you may be required to find and cite scholarly articles for a paper. Just because something was published in a peer reviewed journal doesn't mean it's necessarily a scholarly article - it may be a letter to the editor, or a book review, or an editorial. Your job is to identify whether the article you found from a scholarly journal is a good fit for your assignment - if it is, for example, an editorial or a book review, then it is likely not appropriate for your purposes and you should find something else to work with.
5. Primary vs. Secondary Sources :-
Primary Sources are sometimes required in your research. These are firsthand, or original records of events, that include survey results, poems, diaries, ethnographies, artwork, data sets, statistics, or case studies. A primary source is a firsthand or eyewitness account of information by an individual close to the topic. Examples of primary sources include autobiographies, personal correspondence (e.g., diary entries, letters), government documents, works of art and literature, statistics and data, and newspaper articles written by reporters close to the source. Today, even some social media posts are considered primary sources, because they are firsthand accounts of information.
The Secondary aspect of sources comes into play when there is interpretation, analysis, synthesis, and/or restatement of these same events or materials in order to explain them. A secondary source is a source that is more removed from an event, usually written after the event has happened. Examples of secondary sources include biographies, interpretation of statistics and data, and anything written after an historical event or analysing something that already happened (e.g., examining a work of art from 100 years ago).
When evaluating sources, being able to determine whether it’s primary or secondary is helpful as you continue in your research.
General Guidelines for Evaluating Sources :-
Once you have an idea of the types of sources you need for your research, you can spend time evaluating individual sources. If a bibliographic citation seems promising, it’s a good idea to spend a bit more time with the source before you determine its credibility. Below are some things to consider as you read through a source.
□ Find Out more about the Author :- One of the first steps in evaluating a source is to locate more information about the author. Sometimes simply typing an author’s name into a search engine will give you an initial springboard for information. Finding the author’s educational background and areas of expertise will help determine whether the author has experience in what they’re writing about. You should also examine whether the author has other publications and if they are with well-known publishers or organisations.
□ Read the Introduction / Preface :- Begin by reading the Introduction or the Preface - What does the author want to accomplish? Browse through the Table of Contents and the Index. This will give you an overview of the source. Is your topic covered in enough depth to be helpful? If you don't find your topic discussed, try searching for some synonyms in the Index.
If your source does not contain any of these elements, consider reading the first few paragraphs of the source and determining whether it includes enough information on your topic for it to be relevant.
□ Determine the intended Audience :- Consider the tone, style, vocabulary, level of information, and assumptions the author makes about the reader. Are they appropriate for your needs? Remember that scholarly sources often have a very particular audience in mind, and popular sources are written for a more general audience. However, some scholarly sources may be too dense for your particular research needs, so you may need to turn to sources with a more general audience in mind.
□ Evaluate the Evidence Listed :- If you’re just starting your research, you might look for sources that include more general information. However, the deeper you get into your topic, the more comprehensive your research will need to be. If you’re reading an opinion-based source, ask yourself whether there’s enough evidence to back up the opinions. If you’re reading a fact-based source, be sure that it doesn’t oversimplify the topic.
The more familiar you become with your topic, the easier it will be for you to evaluate the evidence in your sources.
□ Cross Check the information :- When you verify the information in one source with information you find in another source, this is called cross-referencing or cross-checking. If the author lists specific dates or facts, can you find that same information somewhere else? Having information listed in more than one place increases its credibility.
□ Examine the list of References :- Check for a list of references or other citations that look as if they will lead you to related material that would be good sources. If a source has a list of references, it often means that the source is well-researched and thorough. As you continue to encounter more sources, evaluating them for credibility will become easier.
Conclusion :-
To Conclude, Evaluate all sources you use for your research work. Focus on the authority, accuracy and currency of the sources. The overall purpose of evaluating sources is to make sure that your review has the most relevant, accurate, and unbiased literature in the field, so that you can determine what has already been learned about your topic and where further research may be needed.
References :-
calvine, Makhatse. “Importance of Source Evaluation of Information in the Library.” Medium, 29 Nov. 2023, medium.com/@calvineshikhoyi/importance-of-source-evaluation-of-information-in-the-library-decf7fd3c1ac. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Gibaldi, Joseph. “MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 7th Edition.” AbeBooks, Modern Language Association of America, 1 Jan. 1970, www.abebooks.com/9781603290258/MLA-Handbook-Writers-Research-Papers-1603290257/plp. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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