24 May Thinking Critically About Sources Worksheet
Becoming a confident consumer of information will help you attain academic, career and life goals. An understanding of how to critically evaluate sources will help you achieve these goals. This assignment will guide you in determining whether your sources are authoritative and reliable.
Search for one source that you might use for a class project. This source can be a journal article, book, website, newspaper, magazine, or something else. Then answer the following questions about this source. It would be helpful if your responses are in a different font color than the questions.
Please provide your approved topic and research question here:
Please indicate the source type (i.e. book, journal article, website):
Please provide the full APA style reference list entry:
Authority
Who is the author [name(s), agency, organization]?
What are the author’s credentials? What expertise does the author have in this field of study?
Purpose
Who is the intended audience?
Why was it written or created? Is the source appropriate for your purpose? Explain.
Accuracy
Check the facts with other sources. Is the source contradicted by information found in other sources? Give specific examples.
Objectivity
Are multiple sides of an argument represented? Does the author carefully document facts? Give specific examples.
Do you detect bias or a hidden agenda? Explain.
If this is on a website, what links or ads does the page have?
Currency/Date of Publication
When was this item published or created?
How can you determine how current the information is?
Has the source been updated since its original publication? What makes you think so?
Scholarly vs. Popular Sources
If your professor said you could only use scholarly* sources for this project, explain why you would or would not be able to use this source.
If your professor said that you must use a source that can be updated instantly, and where many different people can express their opinions, explain why you would or would not be able to use this source.
Remember, different sources can and should be used for different projects! For some projects, websites and blogs will be great sources of information. For other projects, your professors will want you to stick to traditional journal articles and books. Think about what your project is and where you’ll get the most appropriate information. We trust that you will find this worksheet to be helpful through your matriculation at SU.
*Finding appropriate scholarly articles in the databases can be difficult at times. Please do not assume that an article that you find in an SU database is automatically a scholarly source. You still need to think critically about the source. Here are some things for you to keep in mind:
Our guide on scholarly vs. popular resources is a good starting point for understanding the differences between the kinds of items you might encounter.
Many, but not all, of our library databases include scholarly sources that you can use for your research. Each database is different and includes different types of items. For example:
1. Some databases include popular articles and books along with scholarly articles and books.
2. Some databases include mainly popular articles and books.
3. Some databases include mainly scholarly articles and books.
If you’re using a database that falls in the third category, that’s great! Most of your results will be scholarly sources. If you’re using a database that falls in the first or second categories, you can use the “Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals” option or similar to narrow down your search.
Keep in mind, however, that just because a source is scholarly doesn’t mean that the article is. Think critically about the source. For example, if the article does not contain in-text citations and a list of references, it is not a scholarly source. Also, many peer-reviewed journals include short blurbs or articles such as a letter from the editor, letters from readers, and press releases. These items are not considered scholarly sources, even if they were published in a scholarly journal. As always, read the entire article and review the scholarly vs. popular criteria before you decide whether to include it in your research project.
Our website has a team of professional writers who can help you write any of your homework. They will write your papers from scratch. We also have a team of editors just to make sure all papers are of HIGH QUALITY & PLAGIARISM FREE. To make an Order you only need to click Ask A Question and we will direct you to our Order Page at WriteDemy. Then fill Our Order Form with all your assignment instructions. Select your deadline and pay for your paper. You will get it few hours before your set deadline.
Fill in all the assignment paper details that are required in the order form with the standard information being the page count, deadline, academic level and type of paper. It is advisable to have this information at hand so that you can quickly fill in the necessary information needed in the form for the essay writer to be immediately assigned to your writing project. Make payment for the custom essay order to enable us to assign a suitable writer to your order. Payments are made through Paypal on a secured billing page. Finally, sit back and relax.
About Wridemy
We are a professional paper writing website. If you have searched a question and bumped into our website just know you are in the right place to get help in your coursework. We offer HIGH QUALITY & PLAGIARISM FREE Papers.
How It Works
To make an Order you only need to click on “Order Now” and we will direct you to our Order Page. Fill Our Order Form with all your assignment instructions. Select your deadline and pay for your paper. You will get it few hours before your set deadline.
Are there Discounts?
All new clients are eligible for 20% off in their first Order. Our payment method is safe and secure.