ENG151 - Navigating Information: Source Evaluation

What is a Source?

Source refers to the specific piece of information.

It could be:

• An article you read online
• A story in a newspaper
• A research paper in a scientific journal
• A Video you watch on YouTube

Information Source Creation Process and Why It Matters

When looking at different sources of information, it's important to think about why they exist and how they were created. This can help you figure out how trustworthy they are.

Information Source Creation Process

1. Immediate Sources (e.g., social media posts, breaking news)
   • Created quickly, often by individuals
   • Minimal fact-checking or review
   • Example: A tweet about a campus event
2. Intermediate Sources (e.g., news articles, magazine features)
   • Created by professionals with some research
   • Some editorial oversight and fact-checking
   • Example: A local newspaper article about your college
3. In-depth Sources (e.g., academic journals, scholarly books)
   • Created by experts over a long period
   • Extensive research and rigorous peer review
   • Example: A research paper in an academic journal

Why It Matters:

1. Reliability: The creation process affects the information's credibility. Sources with more thorough research and review tend to be more reliable.
2. Depth: Longer creation processes usually result in more comprehensive information.
3. Purpose: Understanding why a source was created helps you evaluate its usefulness for your needs.
4. Bias: The creation process can reveal potential biases in the information.
5. Relevance: Knowing how current the information is helps you decide if it's relevant to your research.
6. Academic expectations: Your professors will expect you to use appropriate sources for assignments.

Key Takeaway:

Think of sources like food - fast food (immediate sources) is quick but not always nutritious, home-cooked meals (intermediate sources) are better, and gourmet restaurant dishes (in-depth sources) offer the highest quality. For academic work, aim for a diet rich in "gourmet" sources!

Remember: Always match your source to your information need. Sometimes you need quick updates, other times you need deep, well-researched information.

Popular Sources

Popular sources are aimed at a general audience and typically have a quick publication process.

Examples:

• News websites (CNN, BBC)

• General interest magazines (Time, National Geographic)

• Social media posts

• Blog articles

Statistical examples:

• Infographics in newspapers

• Poll results reported on news websites

• Statistics cited in magazine articles

Formal (Professional) Sources

Formal sources occupy a middle ground between popular and scholarly sources. They are typically more authoritative than popular sources but may not undergo peer review like scholarly sources.

Examples:

• Government publications

• Books (non-fiction, textbooks)

• Reports from reputable organizations

• Primary sources (original documents, data)

Statistical examples:

• Census data from government agencies

• Economic indicators from central banks

• Health statistics from the World Health Organization

• Historical records and archives

Scholarly Sources

Scholarly sources are written by experts for other experts or students and undergo rigorous peer review.

Examples:

• Academic journal articles

• Peer-reviewed research papers

• Dissertations and theses

Statistical examples:

• Statistical analyses in research papers

• Data sets published in academic journals

• Meta-analyses of multiple studies