Ch.5 Evaluating Sources

Chapter 5 consists of keyword phrases that help to identify the relevance and validity of  sources you find. To begin, Relevance is important when considering your target audience. Ask questions about the purpose of the source you've found, and determine if the source will help you address your readers. Evidence is key when you need to support a statement or just basic logic. Make sure to evaluate the quality, amount, and appropriateness of the sources you find as well. Hard evidence will ensure the strength of your writing. When evaluating a Author as a source check the work for validity, bias, and if they're writing relates to your topic. Also try to identify the author's affiliation, as this could amplify what they say or expose them. The Timeliness of a source depends on the topic you are researching. Is your topic current or in the past? Be sure to check the sources publication date. The Comprehensiveness of a source is key. A source must be a complete and balanced view of your topic. The last keyword is Genre. Identifying the genre of a source can be fairly easy if you know what to look for. Check to see how evidence is used and how the document is formatted. A quick look at a sources citations can tell you what kind of source you have. When evaluating the relevance and credibility digital sources, it is important examine the domain of the website you visited. Also cross reference the information you collected from one source to another and see if it is true. When you evaluate a field source it is important to know the speaker from which you are collecting information. Check to see if what you have collected is relevant to your topic.