Evaluating Sources

Why does source evaluation matter?

• It will guarantee a good grade in any class

• "fake news" is always obvious to everyone

• Helps you make better decisions and stronger arguments

• Encourages the imagination

What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?

• Primary = scholarly journal articles is an example

  Secondary = personal diary is an example

• Primary = first-hand accounts, witnesses

  Secondary = analysis, interpretation, or evaluation of materials

• Primary =analysis, interpretation, or evaluation of materials

  Secondary = first-hand accounts, witnesses

• Primary = analysis of first-hand accounts, witnesses

  Secondary = photographs

You need to analyze everyday life of maids in 19th century London. Which source type would you use?

• dictionary

• personal diary

• newspaper

• experiment results

You are writing a paper discussing the different reviews a Broadway play has received over the years. Which source type would be most useful?

• government documents

• scholarly journal

• photographs

• newspaper articles

You are writing an article on the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine on COVID-19. Which source type would be most useful?

• an article in USA Today

• interview with Julia Roberts

• State Governor's press statement

• scientific study published in a peer reviewed journal

"Haemophilia (2010), 16, 843–847

REVIEW ARTICLE

The 'royal disease'– haemophilia A or B? A haematological mystery is finally solved

N. LANNOY* and C. HERMANS+

*Centre de Génétique humaine; and +Service d'hématologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium"

Asking "Who" when evaluating sources:

What makes these authors qualified to discuss hemophilia in royal family lineage?

• They are both related to Queen Elizabeth II

• The are both French doctors

• Lannoy works at Centre de Génétique humaine (Human Genetics Center); and Hermans works at Service d'hématologie, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc (Hematology Department, Saint-Luc University Clinics) in Brussels, Belgium

• They are historians of the European royal family

Asking "When" when evaluating sources:

If you are writing an article about the current economy in the US, which source would be most useful?

• Economists are even more optimistic about the US economy; by Shannon Liao, CNN Business; Updated: January 27, 2008

• Economy: Biggest drop in 7 years; by CNNMoney.com staff; Last Updated: November 25, 2008

• U.S. Economic Growth Rises Sharply; by Vikas Bajaj; April 28, 2006

• Coronavirus savages U.S. economy in first quarter; bigger hit still to come; by Lucia Mutikani; Reuters Business News; April 28, 2020

Asking "Where" when evaluating sources:

Where was this published? Does the company/organization have known bias?

• Fox News; yes it has been known to be bias against republicans

• Fox News; yes it has been known to be bias against democrats

• Fox News; no it is generally known to be unbiased

• Fox News; yes it has been known to be bias against Trump

"Opinion: An Appeal To Youth To Face Coronavirus With Self-Sacrifice, Not Selfishness"

Asking "Why" when evaluating sources:

What is the purpose of this article?

• to persuade

• to inform

• to analyze

• to entertain

Reading the following excerpt:

"As the climate has warmed, Antarctica and Greenland have lost enough ice in the last 16 years to fill Lake Michigan, according to results from a new NASA mission.

Put another way, more than 5,000 gigatons of ice has melted (a gigaton equals one billion metric tons or enough to fill 400,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools), which drove up sea levels around the world.

The findings show how the massive ice sheets at the far ends of the planet will affect millions of people on coastlines everywhere.

"It's like an apple tart and the ice shelves are like the wall of pastry around the edges of the tart. And if those walls are too thin or they're not baked well enough, then the filling will ooze out.""

Asking "What" when evaluating sources:

What is the thesis of this article?

• Ice is melting in Antartica and Greenland

• Ice is like apple tarts

• "Findings show how the massive ice sheets at the far ends of the planet will affect millions of people on coastlines everywhere"

• "Warmer air temperatures around Greenland are directly melting its ice"