Evaluating Sources

Is social media a credible source?

• YES

• NO

When evaluating sources, what factors should we consider?

Match the following source evaluation terms with definitions

• being of the present time or most recent

• accuracy

• the intention, aim, or reason for doing

• purpose

• information's applicability to a topic

• relevancy

• power via expertise

• currency

• being correct, exact, and error free

• authority

Answer explanation

When writing a referenced essay, it is essential that students only use sources that are credible and academically appropriate. It is risky to assume that just because the information was found in a printed book or article, or published online, that it is trustworthy. Students can accurately judge the quality of a source by simply applying the CRAAP test. This involves examining the text and answering a number of important questions.

You have been asked to write an essay comparing two countries using Geert Hofstede's dimensions of national culture. Through your online searches, you have found a number of potential sources. Read the descriptions of the sources and decide if you should use them in your essay.

You found a Wikipedia article on Geert Hofstede which indicates that he is a world renowned expert, and he is in fact, one of Europe's most cited social scientists. The article has an extensive reference list and was updated only ten days ago. The information is regularly reviewed, verified, and updated by members of the public.

• Yes

• No

Answer explanation

Wikipedia should never be used as a source in a referenced

essay. Many articles in Wikipedia are of good quality but not all.

It is possible that updates are either inaccurate or false and may

not be removed by the time students access an article. For this

reason, most credible academic institutions do not allow students

to cite and reference Wikipedia articles. However, they may be a

good place to start researching a paper as they can give a basic

background to the topic and have links to more credible sources.

You found a website with the URL http://www.geerthofstede.nl/, and it appears that it is Geert Hofstede's official website. The website contains videos of Geert Hostede explaining each of the six dimensions of national culture. There is no information to indicate when the website was published or if any updates have been made.

• YES

• NO

Answer explanation

Geert Hofstede established the theories that the essay

requires students to investigate. His authority is difficult to

question, and we can be very confident that the source meets all

the other criteria of the CRAAP test.

You found a very well written essay that discusses Hofstede's six dimensions at https://cool-essay-writers.com/exploring-culture-theory-globe-hofstede-2/. Apart from being well written, the essay uses citations and has an extensive reference list. By investigating a little further and reading the 'About Us' page, you find out that the site is actually a paid academic writing service that produces custom papers for students.

• YES

• NO

Answer explanation

Generally speaking, it is best to avoid sources with the .com

domain suffix. There is no author, and the article was written for

commercial purposes, which is to persuade students to actually

commit academic fraud by paying a third party to write their

essay.

You find a 2019 Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook titled "Principles of Management" and in a chapter on International Management you find an eight page section on Hofstede's cultural framework. By studying the preface, you learn that the book is published by a well-known American university, and the list of contributing authors are all university academics.

• YES

• NO

Answer explanation

This source meets all the criteria of the CRAAP test.

You find what appears to be a website for a course on international business and the URL is https://sites.google.com/site/jacksoninternational/hofstede-studies. There is a very informative page outlining Hohstede's theories that is written in an objective and academic style and is clearly intended for educational purposes. There is no information that clearly indicates the author, the date, or the institution.

• YES

• NO

Answer explanation

It is not possible to determine the legitimacy of this source

as there is not enough information to apply the CRAAP test. There

is no author or institution name, and the URL shows that the

page is from a Google site, which in most cases indicates that

the information is not professionally produced. Therefore, we

could assume that the article has not been peer reviewed, and

we cannot be sure that it has not been plagiarised.

Based on the domain suffixes, which of the following websites is least likely to contain authoritative information?

• http://nationalculture.edu

• http://nationalculture.gov

• http://nationalculture.com

Which feature of a source suggests that it should NOT be used in a referenced essay?

• The information has been peer-reviewed.

• The information shows bias and does not present more than one perspective.

• The author is clearly indicated.