Team Internships at GCC

Authority

• Who is the author of the article or book?
• What are the credentials or qualifications of the author of the book or article?
• Is the author associated with a university at the time the material was printed?  If it is an organization, are they well known as a scholarly authority on the topic?
• Is the author educated in the subject they are writing about? For example, Dr. Stefan Bradley wrote an article called For the Greater Glory of Whom?: A Perspective on OccupySLU about student activists. He is a professor of African-American History at Loyola Marymount University when the article was published.
• Is there contact information for the author(s)?
• Are you able to tell how the author gets their research funding?

Purpose & Bias

• Who is the audience?  What can the audience tell you about the bias or point of view?
• Who is the publisher of the book or article?  Does the publisher have a bias or agenda that they are trying to convey?
• Does the source use emotional language to make you feel something as you read? (For example, Children are dying because we don't have healthcare!)
• Are they trying to sell you something?  
• Are there advertisements in the publication?  If so, are they for products discussed in the article?

Accuracy & Evidence

• Do the conclusions of the article or book match with the conclusions of other research you have been reading?
• Does the author effectively use citations and other sources to support their conclusions or findings?
• Where does the information come from?
• Has the information been peer-reviewed or refereed?
• Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors

Currency

• Are the information in the source current enough depending on the topic we are exploring?
• Are the information within the date range relevant to our research topic?
• Is the source being updated?