Evaluating Sources

What are some questions you should ask if you are unsure whether the source you're reading is scholarly or popular?

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Will you need primary sources for your paper?

• yes

• no

• it depends

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Is Pro-Con a scholarly source for research?

• yes

• no

• it depends

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Which of the following is/are considered reliable sources for academic research?

• Wikipedia

• personal website/blog

• editorial written in a major newspaper

• JSTOR online database

• history teacher's podcast

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Choose the most accurate statement

• You should use scholarly sources for your paper (but not popular sources)

• You should use scholarly sources and popular sources for your paper.

• You will need scholarly sources for your paper, and you may also need popular sources.

• You will need popular sources for your paper, and you may also need scholarly sources.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

How will you know whether or not you should use popular sources for your paper?

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Should you ever use social media as a source for academic research?

• no (seriously?)

• yes, if the post relates to your topic

• yes, if the person posting knows what they're talking about

• yes, if it is an official post by an organization/expert in the field

• yes, if you know the person personally

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Is passportUSA.org an official government website?

• yes

• no

• can't tell without more information

Should you ever use a .com website in your academic research?

• yes--they're fine

• no--.com means unreliable

• it depends on the website

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Is Wikipedia ever helpful for academic research?

• no--skip it.

• yes--use it to find sources

• yes--use it as your paper (but change wording so it's not plagiarism)

• yes--since it cites its sources, it is an academic source

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9