Assigned topics - Evaluating source

                 EVALUATING SOURCE 

Hello readers ! This blog is a part of my academic writing. The blog is about Evaluating saurces in Research Writing. Here are further information about the topic. 

                           First of all let us understand about what is Research Writing? 

                              Research writing is writing that uses evidence (from journals, books, magazines, the Internet, experts, etc.) to persuade or inform an audience about a particular point. Research writing exists in a variety of different forms.

                               Evaluating saurce is a part of Research Writing. Now here is the definition of what is Evaluating Saurce? 

                             Source criticism is the process of evaluating an information source, i.e.: a document, a person, a speech, a fingerprint, a photo, an observation, or anything used in order to obtain knowledge. In relation to a given purpose, a given information source may be more or less valid, reliable or relevant. 

                                 Evaluating sources means recognizing whether the information you read and include in your research is credible. ... Evaluating sources of information that you might include in your writing is an important step in any research process.

                                 Evaluating information encourages you to think critically about the reliability, validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness, point of view or bias of information sources. Just because a book, article, or website matches your search criteria does not mean that it is necessarily a reliable source of information.

                               Source evaluation is the process of critically evaluating information in relation to a given purpose in order to determine if it is appropriate for the intended use.

Why Evaluate Sources?

• Instructors expect students to use scholarly sources: using better sources often results in better grades!
• Information can be out-of-date, inaccurate, and even purposely misleading (such as propaganda) 
• Some forms of information, such as websites, allow anyone to contribute content or exist only to sell products or ads by generating traffic

                       This three criteria can help us in evaluating source in the research writing:

                       1) AUTHORITY 

                       2) Accuracy and Verifiability 

                       3) Currency 

                             Here, I'll describe in detail about these three aspects. 

1) AUTHORITY :

                                 Discover the credentials of the authors of the source and determine their level of expertise and knowledge about the subject.

The originating source (author, publisher, sponsor) of the information. Check for contact information and the credentials of the autho

• Who is the author?
  • Is it a person?
  • Is it an organization such as a government agency, nonprofit organization, or a corporation?
• What are the qualifications of the author?
• What is the author's occupation, experience, or educational background?
• Does the author have any subject matter expertise?
• Is the author affiliated with an organization such as a university, government agency, nonprofit organization, or a corporation?
• Who is the publisher?

• • For books, is it a university press or a commercial publisher? These types of publishers use editors in order to ensure a quality publication.
  • For journals or magazines, can you tell if it is popular or scholarly in nature? 
  • For websites, is it an organizational website, or a personal blog?

2) ACCURACY AND VERIFIABILITY :

                                   Consider whether the source presents accurate information and whether you can verify that information.

Check for contact information and the credentials of the author.
	The reliability (source, evidence, truthfulness) of the information. Think about the source and look for evidence of bias or error.

• Is the information well researched?
  • Are there references (e.g., citations, footnotes, or a bibliography) to sources that will provide evidence for the claims made?
  • If the source includes facts or statistical data, can this information be verified in another source?
  • If the data was gathered using original research (such as polling or surveys), what was the method of data collection? Has the author disclosed the validity or reliability of the data?

3) CURRENCY :

                                        Check the publication date and determine whether it is sufficiently current for your topic.

• The timeliness (i.e. publication date, revision history) of the information.

• Broken links or old dates indicate a source has not been updated recently.

• When was the information published?
  • For books and articles - you should be able to easily verify the publication date.
  • For websites, try to determine the date the web page was created or updated
• Is current information required? If not, then accurate, yet historical, information may still be acceptable.

Evaluating your sources will help you:

• Determine the credibility of information
• Rule out questionable information
• Check for bias in your sources.

                             Evaluating the authority, usefulness, and reliability of resources is a crucial step in developing a literature review that effectively covers pertinent research as well as demonstrating to the reader that you know what you're talking about. The process of evaluating scholarly research also enhances your general skills and ability to:

1. Seek out alternate points of view and differing perspectives,
2. Identify possible bias in the work of others,
3. Distinguish between fact, fiction, and opinion,
4. Develop and strengthen your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content,
5. Draw cogent, well thought out conclusions, and
6. Synthesize information, extracting meaning through interpretation and analysis.

                               The act of thinking critically about the validity and reliability of a research resource generally involves asking yourself a series of questions about the quality of both the item and the content of that item.

* Inquiring about the Author

                                What are the author's credentials--institutional affiliation (where he or she works), educational background, past writings, or experience? Is the book or article written on a topic in the author's area of expertise? Has your instructor mentioned this author? Have you seen the author's name cited in other sources or bibliographies? Is the author associated with a reputable institution or organization? What are the basic values or goals of the organization or institution?

* Inquiring about the Date of Publication

                                 When was the source published? Is the source current or out-of-date for your topic?

* Inquiring about the Edition or Revision

                                    Is this a first edition of this publication or not? Further editions indicate a source has been revised and updated to reflect changes in knowledge, include omissions, and harmonize with the intended needs of its readers. If you are using a Web source, do the pages indicate revision dates?

* Inquiring about the Publisher

                               Note the publisher. If the source is published by a university press, it is likely to be scholarly. Although the fact that the publisher is reputable does not necessarily guarantee quality, it does show that the publisher may have high regard for the source being published.

* Inquiring about the Title of Journal

                                  Is this a scholarly or a popular journal? This distinction is important because it indicates different levels of complexity in conveying ideas.

CONCLUSION :

                                 To conclude this, the three aspects of the research writing are Authority, Accuracy and Verifiability and Currency are very important while writing any  research paper. We get to know about author's name, work, publication date, publication year, citations, types of work, work in specific form.

CITATION :

College , Kansas. “Writing a Research Paper.” Library Research Guid.

Mandalios, J. External Analysis Research . 2013.

Heart university , sacred. Organizing Academic Research Papers.