Unit 2

EVALUATING SOURCES
 OBJECTIVES
• Identify features of valid sources
• Determine the purpose of evaluating sources
• Identify sources that are acceptable and not
acceptable in academic writing
• Locate sources effectively
• Evaluate the sources gathered by the other groups;
and
• Identify difficulties in locating and evaluating
sources
 Let’s Warm Up
1. Find a partner. Read the situations in the box. Then,
discuss how you can avoid each.
• A mobile phone provider signs you up to a contract as
a subscriber without telling you that there is no
coverage in your region.
• A business predicts the health benefits of a therapeutic
device or health product but has no evidence that such
benefit can be attained.
• A company misrepresents the possible profits of a
work-at-home scheme, or other business opportunity.
2. With your partner, form a group with or more
persons and do the following:
• Choose a strategy from the situations above
and share your strategy of avoiding those
situations to the class by presenting it through
a slogan.
 Self-audit
• Tell whether the following situations are being done
USUALLY, SOMETIMES, SELDOM or NEVER:
1. I make sure that the source is relevant to my topic.
2. I check the background and credentials of the author.
3. I consider the current date of the sources in
determining if they can be used.
4. I question the information in the text when it seems
unbelievable.
5. I find a way to check any unreliable information I
detect.
6. I make sure that the author has a list of cited
references.
7. In determining the credibility of a text, I consider the
tone or style of writing.
8. I choose a source which can be supported by other
similar texts.
9. I don’t use commercial or personal websites as
sources.
10. I avoid sources which are not reliable, valid or
credible.
 Let’s Learn
Why Evaluate Sources?
• There are a lot of information found in various
sources electronically or non-electronically but
not all of them are accurate, relevant or
useful, and valid or credible.
• It is therefore very important to evaluate
sources of information that you plan to
include in your writing, specifically in
academic writing.
 What are sources?
• Sources in a piece of academic writing are the
materials from which the writer gathers ideas and
information.
• Print sources such as books and journals are the
most frequently used sources in academic writing.
• Non-print sources such as music recordings, radio
or television broadcasts or transcripts, internet
sites, films or images may also be important
sources in some disciplines.
 Primary, Secondary and Tertiary sources

• It is useful to categorize sources as Primary,

Secondary or Tertiary.
• To understand the difference between them,
we need to think about sources in terms of
relative proximity to an original event or
experience.
 Categories of Sources
• A Primary source is the source closest to the
original event, research or experience.
• A Secondary source of evidence is one step
removed from the original (primary) source. It
is usually based on the primary source.
• A Tertiary source is one more step removed
from the original (primary) source. It is usually
based on a range of secondary sources.
 Examples of Sources
• Primary:
- An original letter
- An original diary or journal
- Original notes from an experiment or piece of
research
- A novel, poem or play
- An art work, theatrical performance or
musical score or performance
• Secondary:
- A literary critique based on a poem, play or
novel
- A history book based on primary historical
sources
- A scientific report based on primary
experimental notes
• Tertiary:
- A journal article reviewing a number of different
approaches (secondary sources) to a subject
- A book of readings presenting different
perspectives on the subject matter you are
studying
- A text book reviewing and interpreting a number
of scientific discoveries, experiments or
approaches
 Which Sources to Use?
• In academic writing, you should assume that you
are required to use secondary and tertiary sources
unless:
- Your lecturer or tutor specifically indicates that
you should focus on the primary source(s), or
- You are asked to write entirely personal response
to a primary source such as a poem, a piece of
music, a performance, an art work, or a video clip.
 Criteria in Evaluating Sources
• It is important to evaluate and filter sources
before using them because incorrect sources
not only affects one’s research but I also
affects one’s credibility.
• The criteria include Relevance, Authority,
Currency, Contents and Location of sources.
 Criteria
1. Relevance of the Source to the Research Topic-
Check the title, table of contents, summary/abstract,
introduction or headings of the text as to the sense
of its content.
Ex.: Which of the sources would you pick if you are
doing a research on the Law of Supply and Demand?
a. An Introduction to Theories on Economics
b. How to Invest and Get Rich
c. 105 Habits of Highly Effective Businessmen
2. Authority/Author’s Qualification:
- If the source does not have an author, think
twice before using it.
- In case of a professor, you can check the
university’s website to make sure that the
professor is really associated with the
university.
- Publications from professors are usually
reviewed by their peers, have gone through a
strenuous publication process. Therefore, they
are Reliable.
- Legitimate academic texts must include
citations as a requirement for publication.
3. Currency/Date of Publication
- In most cases, the data from other publications may
no longer be Valid. As much as possible, the date of
publication must be at most five (5) years earlier.
Ex.: Which material would you use for research on
Electromagnetism?
a. Notes on Recent researches in electricity and
Magnetism
b. Basic of Electromagnitism
4. Contents/Accuracy of Information
- The tone or attitude of the author to his/her
subject, and his writing style must be formal.
- Do not use a source that is disputable.
- Make sure to verify your findings with multiple
sources.
- One may use a source focusing on one subject
only as long as it is balanced in the research with
sources from other points of view
5. Location of Sources:
- Avoid using blogs or personal homepage and
wild sites.
- If the URL includes the top level domain, that
means it has been published by an academic
institution like USI.
- Common URLs includes the top-level domain,
- Common URLs include gov.org.com.net.
• Reputable sites are those with edu.gov.net,
and org in URL.
• Criteria for Evaluating the websites:
1. Accuracy of Web Documents
-Make sure author provides e-mail or contact
address
-Know the distinction between author and
webmaster
2. Authority of Web Documents:
- Who credentials are listed for the authors?
- Where is the document published?
3. Objectivity of Web Documents:
- Determine if page is a mask for advertising. If so,
information might be biased
- View any web page as you would an infommercial
on TV. Ask yourself why was it written and for
whom?
4. Currency of Web Documents:
- How many dead links are on the page?
- Are the links current or updated regularly?
- Is the information on the page outdated?
5. Coverage of the Web Documents:
- If page requires special software to view
information, how much are you missing if you
don’t have the software?
- Is it free or is there a fee to obtain the
information?
- Is there an option for text only, or frames, or a
suggested browser for better viewing?
• IN SHORT:
- Accuracy. If your page lists the author and
institution that published the page and provides a
way of contacting him/her.
- Authority. If your page lists the author’s credentials
and its domain is preferred (.edu.gov.org.net)
- Objectivity. If your page provides accurate
information with limited advertising and it is
objective in presenting the information
- Currency. If your page is currentand updated
regularly( as stated on the page) and the links,
if any, are also up-to-date
- Coverage. If you can view the information
properly-not limited to fees, browser,
technology, or software requirement.
 Checking for Understanding
• Write T is the statement is True and F it is is False:
1. Sources found in peer-reviewed journals are credible.
2. Sources found on television or magazine may not be
trusted.
3. Sources not written by experts are not valid.
4. Sources published online should be used as reference.
5. Sources that are personal and editable such as blogs
and Wikipedia are acceptable if they cite their
references.
6. Sources that have no relevance to your research
problem should not be used.
7. Sources which have in-text and references
citations are credible.
8. Sources whose authors are not affiliated with any
reputable academic institution are not useful.
9. Outdated sources should not be considered.
10. Sources used as reference should be credible.
 Let’s Practice
• Form a group with four members. Then choose one of the following
topics:
1. Language and Development
2. Corporate Social Responsibility
3. Organization and Management
4. Critical Thinking in the 21st Century
5. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
6. Applied Economics
7. Accountancy
8. Creative Writing
9. Philippine Politics and Governance
10.Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
 Instructions
• Make a research and find four sources related to your chosen topic. Use the
sheet below:
Topic__________________________
1, 2, 3 & 4
Type of source (Book, Journal, Thesis)_______
Title:___________________________
Author(s):_______________________
Year of Publication:________________
Name of Publication:_______________
Place of Publication:________________
Brief Description or summary of the source:___________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
 E-link
Hone your skills in evaluating sources by checking the website below:

• Source Evaluation Exercise:

http://www.delta.edu/files/WritingCenter/sourceevaluation.pdf

• Practice: Evaluate Sources

- http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/writing_authority.html

• Evaluating sources
- http://www.esc.edu/online-writing-center/resources/exercises/activities/evaluating-
sources/

• Evaluating websites
- http://guides.library.uhh,hawaii.edu/content.php?pid=362499&sid=3068571