{"id":753,"date":"2017-04-03T21:28:18","date_gmt":"2017-04-03T21:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=753"},"modified":"2017-04-13T17:19:13","modified_gmt":"2017-04-13T17:19:13","slug":"thinking-critically-about-sources","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/chapter\/thinking-critically-about-sources\/","title":{"raw":"Thinking Critically About Sources","rendered":"Thinking Critically About Sources"},"content":{"raw":"<div id=\"attachment_910\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 510px\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_910\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-910 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1547\/2017\/04\/03155851\/7-evaluation.png\" alt=\"a puzzle piece\" width=\"500\" height=\"400\" \/> Evaluating sources often involves piecing together clues.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nSource evaluation usually takes place in two stages:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>First you try to determine which sources are credible and relevant to your assignment.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Later, you try to decide which of those relevant and credible sources contain information that you actually want to quote, paraphrase, or summarize. This requires a closer reading, a finer examination of the source.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThis lesson teaches the first kind of evaluation\u2014how to weed out sources that are irrelevant and not credible and how to \u201cweed in\u201d those that are relevant enough and credible enough.\r\n\r\nBecause there often aren\u2019t clear-cut answers when you evaluate sources, <strong>most of the time you have to\u00a0make inferences\u2013educated guesses from available clues\u2013<\/strong>about whether to use information from the\u00a0website or other source.\r\n\r\nThe clues are factors you should consider when trying to decide whether a source is:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A relevant source of information \u2013 Is it truly about your topic and from the right time period?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>A credible source of information \u2013 Is there sufficient reason to believe it\u2019s accurate?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h1>Good Enough for Your Purpose?<\/h1>\r\nNot every resource you turn up in your searches will be credible and relevant enough to meet your information needs. So, how will you ferret out the very best to use?\r\n\r\nSources should always be evaluated relative to your purpose\u2013why you\u2019re looking for information.\r\n\r\nYour information needs will dictate:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>What kind of information will help.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>How serious you consider the consequences of making a mistake by using information that turns out to be inaccurate. When the consequences aren\u2019t very serious, it\u2019s easier to decide a\u00a0site and its information are good enough for your purpose. Of course, there\u2019s a lot to be said for always having accurate information, regardless.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>How hard you\u2019re willing to work to get the credible, timely information that suits your purpose. (What you\u2019re learning here will make it easier.)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThus, your standards for relevance and credibility may vary, depending on whether you need, say:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Information about a personal health problem<\/li>\r\n \t<li>An image you can use on a poster<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Evidence to win a bet with a rival in the dorm<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Dates and times a movie is showing locally<\/li>\r\n \t<li>A game to have fun with<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Evidence for your argument in a term paper<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nFor your research assignments, the consequences may be great if you use information that is not relevant or not credible.\r\n<h1>What Do You Already Know?<\/h1>\r\nYou must already be continually evaluating information sources in your personal life. Think for a minute about what information you have acted on today (where to go, what to do, what to eat, whether to read this page, etc.). What helped you decide whether the information was relevant and credible?\r\n\r\nWhich of the factors below do you consider to be criteria for evaluating sources of information?\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>My instructor recommended the source<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Other sources I like are linked to it<\/li>\r\n \t<li>I know who runs the site<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Its information makes sense with what I already know<\/li>\r\n \t<li>I recognize the truth when I see it<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The site fits with how I was raised<\/li>\r\n \t<li>All my friends accept its information \/ A friend recommended the website<\/li>\r\n \t<li>I\u2019ve used similar sources before \/ I\u2019ve used the source before and nothing bad happened<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The website is easy to use \/ It has all the information I need so I don\u2019t have to go to a lot of sites<\/li>\r\n \t<li>What kind of site it is \/ The website looks professional<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nYou probably chose at least several factors that we would agree with. Take a look at what we recommend on the next page.\r\n<div class=\"activity\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n<h3><strong>Activity:<\/strong> Quick Check<\/h3>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/library.osu.edu\/blogs\/choosingsources\/files\/2016\/07\/les1popquiz1.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Open activity in a web browser.<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_910\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 510px\">\n<div id=\"attachment_910\" style=\"width: 510px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-910\" class=\"wp-image-910 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1547\/2017\/04\/03155851\/7-evaluation.png\" alt=\"a puzzle piece\" width=\"500\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-910\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Evaluating sources often involves piecing together clues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Source evaluation usually takes place in two stages:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>First you try to determine which sources are credible and relevant to your assignment.<\/li>\n<li>Later, you try to decide which of those relevant and credible sources contain information that you actually want to quote, paraphrase, or summarize. This requires a closer reading, a finer examination of the source.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This lesson teaches the first kind of evaluation\u2014how to weed out sources that are irrelevant and not credible and how to \u201cweed in\u201d those that are relevant enough and credible enough.<\/p>\n<p>Because there often aren\u2019t clear-cut answers when you evaluate sources, <strong>most of the time you have to\u00a0make inferences\u2013educated guesses from available clues\u2013<\/strong>about whether to use information from the\u00a0website or other source.<\/p>\n<p>The clues are factors you should consider when trying to decide whether a source is:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A relevant source of information \u2013 Is it truly about your topic and from the right time period?<\/li>\n<li>A credible source of information \u2013 Is there sufficient reason to believe it\u2019s accurate?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1>Good Enough for Your Purpose?<\/h1>\n<p>Not every resource you turn up in your searches will be credible and relevant enough to meet your information needs. So, how will you ferret out the very best to use?<\/p>\n<p>Sources should always be evaluated relative to your purpose\u2013why you\u2019re looking for information.<\/p>\n<p>Your information needs will dictate:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What kind of information will help.<\/li>\n<li>How serious you consider the consequences of making a mistake by using information that turns out to be inaccurate. When the consequences aren\u2019t very serious, it\u2019s easier to decide a\u00a0site and its information are good enough for your purpose. Of course, there\u2019s a lot to be said for always having accurate information, regardless.<\/li>\n<li>How hard you\u2019re willing to work to get the credible, timely information that suits your purpose. (What you\u2019re learning here will make it easier.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Thus, your standards for relevance and credibility may vary, depending on whether you need, say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Information about a personal health problem<\/li>\n<li>An image you can use on a poster<\/li>\n<li>Evidence to win a bet with a rival in the dorm<\/li>\n<li>Dates and times a movie is showing locally<\/li>\n<li>A game to have fun with<\/li>\n<li>Evidence for your argument in a term paper<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For your research assignments, the consequences may be great if you use information that is not relevant or not credible.<\/p>\n<h1>What Do You Already Know?<\/h1>\n<p>You must already be continually evaluating information sources in your personal life. Think for a minute about what information you have acted on today (where to go, what to do, what to eat, whether to read this page, etc.). What helped you decide whether the information was relevant and credible?<\/p>\n<p>Which of the factors below do you consider to be criteria for evaluating sources of information?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>My instructor recommended the source<\/li>\n<li>Other sources I like are linked to it<\/li>\n<li>I know who runs the site<\/li>\n<li>Its information makes sense with what I already know<\/li>\n<li>I recognize the truth when I see it<\/li>\n<li>The site fits with how I was raised<\/li>\n<li>All my friends accept its information \/ A friend recommended the website<\/li>\n<li>I\u2019ve used similar sources before \/ I\u2019ve used the source before and nothing bad happened<\/li>\n<li>The website is easy to use \/ It has all the information I need so I don\u2019t have to go to a lot of sites<\/li>\n<li>What kind of site it is \/ The website looks professional<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You probably chose at least several factors that we would agree with. Take a look at what we recommend on the next page.<\/p>\n<div class=\"activity\">\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<h3><strong>Activity:<\/strong> Quick Check<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/library.osu.edu\/blogs\/choosingsources\/files\/2016\/07\/les1popquiz1.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Open activity in a web browser.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-753\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Choosing &amp; Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Teaching &amp; Learning, Ohio State University Libraries. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: The Ohio State University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/osu.pb.unizin.org\/choosingsources\/\">https:\/\/osu.pb.unizin.org\/choosingsources\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":20,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research\",\"author\":\"Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University Libraries\",\"organization\":\"The Ohio State University\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/osu.pb.unizin.org\/choosingsources\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-753","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":889,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1277,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/753\/revisions\/1277"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/889"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/753\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=753"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=753"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-fmcc-researchsuccess\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}