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Research Results

Directions

	Complete this worksheet when you have collected your sources.
	Copy and paste only the source entries below (you don't need to copy these directions or the "Evaluating Sources" material) into an email to me at apurnell@matcmadison.edu
	Use the "Evaluating Sources" handout at the end of this worksheet as a guide to explaining why your sources are good ones.
	Not all sources have authors. Some are produced by organizations rather than a person
	If your source is a website, the title is the website's name (for example, "Department of Revenue Website")
	Please note: this worksheet is NOT your Works Cited List

Source 1

For Print Sources

Author:
Title:
Edition (if available):
Article Title (if magazine or newspaper):
Publisher:
City and state/country publisher is located in:
Copyright date:

For Websites

URL: http://
Title:
Author (if available):
Date site was last updated (if available):
Date you accessed the site:

What makes this a good source?

Source 2

For Print Sources

Author:
Title:
Edition (if available):
Article Title (if magazine or newspaper):
Publisher:
City and state/country publisher is located in:
Copyright date:

For Websites

URL: http://
Title:
Author (if available):
Date site was last updated (if available):
Date you accessed the site:

What makes this a good source?

Source 3

For Print Sources

Author:
Title:
Edition (if available):
Article Title (if magazine or newspaper):
Publisher:
City and state/country publisher is located in:
Copyright date:

For Websites

URL: http://
Title:
Author (if available):
Date site was last updated (if available):
Date you accessed the site:

What makes this a good source?

Source 4

For Print Sources

Author:
Title:
Edition (if available):
Article Title (if magazine or newspaper):
Publisher:
City and state/country publisher is located in:
Copyright date:

For Websites

URL: http://
Title:
Author (if available):
Date site was last updated (if available):
Date you accessed the site:

What makes this a good source?

Source 5 (Optional)

For Print Sources

Author:
Title:
Edition (if available):
Article Title (if magazine or newspaper):
Publisher:
City and state/country publisher is located in:
Copyright date:

For Websites

URL: http://
Title:
Author (if available):
Date site was last updated (if available):
Date you accessed the site:

What makes this a good source?

Source 6 (Optional)

For Print Sources

Author:
Title:
Edition (if available):
Article Title (if magazine or newspaper):
Publisher:
City and state/country publisher is located in:
Copyright date:

For Websites

URL: http://
Title:
Author (if available):
Date site was last updated (if available):
Date you accessed the site:

What makes this a good source?

EVALUATING SOURCES

Public and school libraries frequently contain and/or provide access to a vast number of physical and virtual resources. The internet's supply of information seems to be infinite. Yet common sense and experience both tell us that all resources are definitely not created equal. Here are some basic questions you can ask to help you establish whether a source is "good."

	Is it reputable?
	Is it current?
	Is it well documented?
	Is it relevant?

Library Resources

Reputable

	Who produced the source?
	Is it a person or organization you have heard of?
	What are their credentials?
	Are they qualified to write about the topic?
	Are the producers in a position to be unbiased and knowledgeable about the topic?
	Examples: A how-to book about performing brain surgery written by a first year medical student does not come from a reputable source on that topic. A video about quitting smoking produced by the American Lung Association comes from a reputable source.

Current

	When was the source produced?
	How important is it that the information on this topic be recently updated?
	Examples: A ten year old book on programming in a specific computer language is probably so outdated as to be useless. A fifty year old book on Greek mythology may still contain important insights (although you would also want to see what's been written more recently on the topic).

Well Documented

	Does the source provide a list of sources, footnotes, and/or other references for the factual information it presents?
	If it does not, does the lack of those references undermine the creditability of the source?
	Examples: In many cases, sources will make statements or present ideas as being the truth and/or established fact. Unless these sources can back these statements and ideas up with reputable sources of their own, they are not well documented. Any fool can draw a graph and stick numbers on it. The trick is actually having a basis for the graph and numbers.

Relevant

	Does the source provide information that is useful and informative about your specific topic?
	Does it address important related issues that surround this topic?

Online Resources

Reputable

	Who produced the source?
	Is it a person or organization you have heard of?
	What are their credentials? Are they qualified to write about the topic? Are the producers in a position to be unbiased and knowledgeable about the topic?
	If the answer to any of these questions is either no, or "I don't know," then you may be dealing with a website that is simply somebody's opinions.

Current

	When was the source produced?
	How important is it that the information on this topic be recently updated?
	Because the internet is a dynamic and changing source of information, it is even more important that a site be recently and regularly updated.
	If you cannot find a listing of when information was posted or updated, you may have tapped into a website that somebody put up and forgot about. Such a website may not reflect current information available on the topic.

Well Documented

	Does the source provide a list of sources, links footnotes, and/or other references for the factual information it presents?
	If it does not, does the lack of those references undermine the creditability of the source?
	In many cases, sources will make statements or present ideas as being the truth and/or established fact. Unless these sources can back these statements and ideas up with reputable sources of their own, they are not well documented.
	A good website will provide working links to other supporting and related materials.

Relevant

	Does the source provide information that is useful and informative about your specific topic?
	Does it address important related issues that surround this topic?

Report Description| Principles of Documentation Document