Source relability research

ResearchResearch

This is not as bad as you This is not as bad as you think!think!

Glad you are here to learn in Glad you are here to learn in youryour

OHS Library OHS Library

Evaluating Web sourcesEvaluating Web sources

Author (authority/qualifications)Author (authority/qualifications) Does the Web site or document have Does the Web site or document have

an author? You may need to do some an author? You may need to do some clicking and scrolling to find the clicking and scrolling to find the author’s name. If you have landed author’s name. If you have landed directly on an internal page of a site, directly on an internal page of a site, for example, you may need to for example, you may need to navigate to the home page or find an navigate to the home page or find an “about this site” link to learn the name “about this site” link to learn the name of the author. of the author.


Author (authority/qualifications)Author (authority/qualifications) If there is an author, can you tell If there is an author, can you tell

whether he or she is knowledgeable and whether he or she is knowledgeable and credible? When the author’s credible? When the author’s qualifications aren’t listed on the site qualifications aren’t listed on the site itself, look for links to the author’s home itself, look for links to the author’s home page, which may provide evidence of page, which may provide evidence of his or her interests and expertise. his or her interests and expertise.


CurrencyCurrency How current is the site? Check for the How current is the site? Check for the

date of publication or the latest date of publication or the latest update, often located at the bottom of update, often located at the bottom of the home page or at the beginning or the home page or at the beginning or end of an internal page. end of an internal page.

How current are the site’s links? If How current are the site’s links? If many of the links no longer work, the many of the links no longer work, the site may be too dated for your site may be too dated for your purposes. purposes.


Purpose and audiencePurpose and audience Why was the site created: To argue a Why was the site created: To argue a

position? To sell a product? To inform position? To sell a product? To inform readers? readers?

Who is the site’s intended audience? Who is the site’s intended audience?


Sponsorship (bias)Sponsorship (bias) Who, if anyone, sponsors the site? Who, if anyone, sponsors the site?

The sponsor of a site is often named The sponsor of a site is often named and described on the home page. and described on the home page.


Sponsorship (bias)Sponsorship (bias) What does the URL tell you? The What does the URL tell you? The

domain name extension often domain name extension often indicates the type of group hosting indicates the type of group hosting the site: commercial (.com), the site: commercial (.com), educational (.edu), nonprofit (.org), educational (.edu), nonprofit (.org), governmental (.gov), military (.mil), or governmental (.gov), military (.mil), or network (.net). URLs may also indicate network (.net). URLs may also indicate a country of origin: .uk (United a country of origin: .uk (United Kingdom) or .jp (Japan), for instance. Kingdom) or .jp (Japan), for instance.

Be SMARTBe SMART

S = See if the authors have authorityS = See if the authors have authority M = Many sites give outdated M = Many sites give outdated

informationinformation A = A specific audience may be A = A specific audience may be

targetedtargeted R = Reliability helps determine R = Reliability helps determine

accuracy accuracy T = Try to determine if information is T = Try to determine if information is

unbiased unbiased


http://www.ovaprima.org/index.htmhttp://www.ovaprima.org/index.htm

VsVs

http://www.jfklibrary.org/http://www.jfklibrary.org/

Kinds of SourcesKinds of Sources

PrimaryPrimary

SecondarySecondary

Primary SourcesPrimary Sources

Primary sources are “original records Primary sources are “original records created at the time historical events created at the time historical events occurred or well after events in the occurred or well after events in the form of memoirs and oral histories.” form of memoirs and oral histories.”

Some examples of primary sources Some examples of primary sources might be: serials (journals, magazines, might be: serials (journals, magazines, etcetc.), government documents, memoirs, .), government documents, memoirs, artifacts, photos, and even works of art.artifacts, photos, and even works of art.

~~The American Library AssociationThe American Library Association


Primary sources “enable the Primary sources “enable the researcher to get as close as possible researcher to get as close as possible to what actually happened during a to what actually happened during a historical event or time period. A historical event or time period. A primary source reflects the individual primary source reflects the individual viewpoint of a participant or viewpoint of a participant or observer.”observer.”

~American Library Association~American Library Association


Primary sources “are the raw Primary sources “are the raw materials of history — original materials of history — original documents and objects which were documents and objects which were created at the time under study.”created at the time under study.”~The Library of Congress~The Library of Congress

Firsthand experience or accountFirsthand experience or account

Primary SourcePrimary Source

Secondary SourcesSecondary Sources

Secondary sources are sources such Secondary sources are sources such as history books, encyclopedias, as history books, encyclopedias, articles and websitesarticles and websites

secondary sources are accounts or secondary sources are accounts or interpretations of events created by interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand someone without firsthand experience.experience.



Sources that digest, analyze, Sources that digest, analyze, evaluate and interpret the evaluate and interpret the information contained within primary information contained within primary sources.sources.

Often scholarly journal articles and Often scholarly journal articles and books. books.

How do I know the How do I know the difference?difference?

Timing of the event recordedTiming of the event recorded--If the --If the article was composed close to the time of article was composed close to the time of the event recorded, chances are it is the event recorded, chances are it is primary material. For instance, a letter primary material. For instance, a letter written by a soldier during the Vietnam War written by a soldier during the Vietnam War is primary material, as is an article written is primary material, as is an article written in the newspaper or a soldier's letter home in the newspaper or a soldier's letter home during the Civil War. However, an article during the Civil War. However, an article written analyzing the results of the battle at written analyzing the results of the battle at Gettysburg is secondary material. Gettysburg is secondary material.

How do I know the How do I know the difference?difference?

Rhetorical aim of the written Rhetorical aim of the written itemitem--Often, an item that is written --Often, an item that is written with a persuasive, or analytical, aim with a persuasive, or analytical, aim is secondary material. These is secondary material. These materials have digested and materials have digested and interpreted the event, rather than interpreted the event, rather than reported on it.reported on it.

Giving credit where credit is Giving credit where credit is duedue

Credit thoughts, ideas, or words that Credit thoughts, ideas, or words that are not YOUR OWN!are not YOUR OWN!

Use the citation format required by Use the citation format required by your teacheryour teacher


Essential information to find from Essential information to find from source to give credit:source to give credit:– AuthorAuthor– Book or magazine titleBook or magazine title– Article title Article title – PublisherPublisher– Place of publicationPlace of publication– Date of publicationDate of publication– Date of access (internet sources)Date of access (internet sources)


TEL resources have citation information TEL resources have citation information at the bottom of the article. at the bottom of the article.

It is up to you to put that information It is up to you to put that information into the format required by your into the format required by your teacher.teacher.

Gilje, Paul A. "Patrick Henry: First Gilje, Paul A. "Patrick Henry: First Among Among Patriots." Patriots." The HistorianThe Historian 74.4 74.4 (2012): (2012): 842+. 842+. Student Resources In Student Resources In ContextContext. . Web. 22 Mar. 2013.Web. 22 Mar. 2013.


Gilje, Paul A. "Patrick Henry: First Gilje, Paul A. "Patrick Henry: First Among Among Patriots." Patriots." The HistorianThe Historian 74.4 74.4 (2012): (2012): 842+. 842+. Student Resources In Student Resources In ContextContext. . Web. 22 Mar. 2013.Web. 22 Mar. 2013.

Education

Source relability research