Evaluating Sources

One of the least talked about, yet most important, aspects of good scholarship is the ability to properly evaluate your sources. Almost any subject about which you will write will require you to perform some kind of research on the subject. Much of this research will be conducted by reading what others have written on the topic. A quick tour of the library reveals that there is a lot of information available; a search of the Internet can yield a downright daunting number of information sources. With so much information available, you can't possibly read it all. So how do you know which information is worth your time?

Here are some links to help you figure out which sources might be more appropriate for your academic papers:

• Cornell University Library
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab
• New Mexico State University Library
• The Bedford Research Room
  There's a lot of good information here, so we made this link to this whole section. Click on the Guided Tutorial on Research Processes link to find information on evaluating sources