When doing research, you should use a variety of sources such as books, articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals, and websites. To ensure you are including only valid information in your research, evaluate your sources using the criteria below.
Criteria | Questions to Ask |
Authority / Credibility |
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Accuracy |
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Scope / Relevance |
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Currency / Date Some written works are ageless (e.g., classic literature) while others (e.g., technological news) become outdated quickly. It is important to determine if currency is pertinent to your research. |
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Objectivity / Bias / Reliability Every author has an opinion. Recognizing this is instrumental in determining if the information presented is objective or biased. |
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Style / Functionality |
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The ACT UP Method
A - Author. Who wrote the resource? Who are they? Background information matters.
C - Currency. When was this resource written? When was it published? Does this resource fit into the currency of your topic?
T - Truth. How accurate is this information? Can you verify any of the claims in other sources? Are there typos and spelling mistakes?
U - Unbiased. Is the information presented to sway the audience to a particular point of view? Resources unless otherwise stated should be impartial.
P - Privilege. Check the privilege of the author(s). Are they the only folks who might write or publish on this topic? Who is missing in this conversation? Critically evaluate the subject terms associated with each resource you found. How are they described? What are the inherent biases?
Dawn Stahura, “ACT UP: Evaluating Sources,” accessed 14 October 2021, https://goo.gl/9G1KTH.