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Library Skills Online: Evaluating Resources

Evaluating Resources

As a researcher you need to learn to be selective and ensure that you are consulting reliable information. You should ask yourself questions about the literature sources you find and avoid taking things at face value. This is especially important when you are searching the internet, while there are many high quality websites out there, there is also an abundance of misinformation, biased reporting and advertising. You can follow our guidance to learn to choose your sources carefully.

What is Evaluating?

Evaluating is a process of assessing the quality of an information source. It involves weighing up its relative strengths and weaknesses taking into account factors such as reliability, accuracy, authority, currency, point of view or bias.

  • Good quality resources help you to build your arguments and create good quality assignments
  • Using high quality resources can boost your grades
  • Evaluating resources is a transferable skill that is valued by employers

Help & Support

Looking for assistance?

If you wish to discuss the question of evaluating literature sources and get help finding good quality academic resources, please book an appointment with an Academic Librarian. Appointments are available either online or in-person.