Evaluating Sources:
Is the Source Worth Your Attention?
The following questions can help you decide which sources are worth your time and
attention, and which ones are not.
What’s the title? Does it sound relevant to your topic? Does it sound serious?
humorous? What does the title tell you about the source’s purpose?
Who are the authors? Are they experts on your topic? journalists? staff writers? Are
Who’s the publisher or sponsor? Is it an academic press? a news organization? a
government agency or nonprofit? a business or individual? Knowing the publisher or
sponsor can tell you whether the content has been peer reviewed by experts, as is
What’s the URL, if it’s an online source? A site’s URL can tell you something about
When was it published or last updated? Does your topic call for the most current
sources or for older historical ones? Even if you’re researching a current issue, you
Does it look academic? Are there any ads? What impression do you get from the fonts,
headings, profile pictures or other images? What does the look of the text suggest
about its purpose?
Is it cited in other works? Are there links to it in other online sources? Has it been
referenced or reposted? You can determine this by searching for the author and title