LSU Libraries - Evaluation of Information Sources Tutorial

CONTENTS:

BACK TO:

Authority:

Where did the information come from? Did it come from an authority in the field?

Authority should be judged on both the author and the publisher of the material

Author:

Is the author's name available?
What is the author's training, education, experience in the field?
Are there other works by this author in this field? Books, articles?
Does the author have a reputation in the field - good or bad?
If your information source is a web site, this might be harder to figure out. Is there an author or contact person listed, and is there a contact e-mail address available. It could be at the top of the page with the title, or at the bottom of the page.

Publisher:

Is the Publisher well known in the field?
How much do they publish?
Is this a "vanity press" where anyone can have something published, for a fee?
Is it a university press?
Is the publisher a professional organization or association?

Generally, you can assume that known publishing houses, university presses, and professional organizations will publish quality materials.

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Last Updated: Wednesday, 06-Aug-2008 09:24:22 CDT