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Evaluating Resources

What's In This Module: Evaluating Books

Before you use information from a book, take a critical look at it. Consider the following:

What is the purpose of the book? Who is the author? Who is the publisher? When was it written? Is the content of the material what you need? Evaluating Articles

Before you use information from an article, take a critical look at it. Consider the following:

What is the article's purpose? Who is the author? What is the content of the article?


Evaluating Web Sites

Remember that the Internet DOES NOT REPLACE resources owned by or accessed via the University Libraries, such as periodical indexes. These tools usually have no equivalent on the Internet.

Before you use information from a web site, take a critical look at it. Unlike many book and journal articles that go through an editorial process and peer review, there is no filtering mechanism on the web. Some sites are produced by experts (either individuals or organizations); others are created by individuals as a hobby or classroom assignment. The idea is to be a careful consumer when using the Internet for research. Consider the following when evaluating web sites:


What is the purpose of the site? Who is the author? What is the scope and accuracy of the material?
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