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*Psychology Research Guide*: Criteria for Evaluating Sources

Resources of all psychology-related topics.

General Criteria for Evaluating Sources

Substance

What is your information need?

How does the information meet that need? Think about what level of information or detail you need. Here are some examples:

  • Definitions
  • Original research
  • Historical information
  • Opinion
  • Statistics
  • A primary source
  • An in-depth overview of the topic
  • A short, factual news article

Currency

When was the information published, posted, or updated?

Does the information have historical value?

Is there more updated information available?

How current is the information they’re citing?


Authority

Who created the information?

What can you find out about their background?

How are they qualified to write on the topic? (This may depend on the purpose of the information: for example, a journalist will usually write news sources; scholars will usually write peer-reviewed sources.)


Relevance

How does the information meet your needs?

Does the information meet the requirements of your assignment?


Accuracy

What evidence does the article provide to support any claims it’s making? (What sources are they citing?)

How much review or oversight did it have before it was published?

How long did the article take to be published?

  • Many online sources can be published very quickly
  • Books and journal articles take the longest because of the amount of editing they go through

Bias

What is the purpose of the information? Here are some possibilities:

  • To share research
  • To share an opinion
  • To entertain
  • To inform
  • To influence or manipulate
  • To sell something