COM-231 Public Speaking: Source Evaluation

Date
When was this information published?
Is it out of date?
If it’s a website, has it been updated recently?

The information is less than 5 years old

The information is older, but not necessarily out of date (some topic sight not need extremely up to date info)

The information is clearly out of date for the topic

It is unclear when the information was published

Author
What are the author’s credentials?
What makes them an expert on this topic?

The author has credentials that show they are an expert in this topic (they might have a degree in this field, work at a university, have experience with this topic, etc.)

The author is a qualified journalist, OR This information was written by a known organization (known = most people are aware of that organization)

The author is not an expert but has some knowledge in the topic (a student, a fan, a
hobbyist)

It is unclear who wrote this information OR The author is not qualified to write on this topic

Publisher
Who or what published this source?
Are they reputable and credible?

Published by a
scholarly journal, the
U.S. government, or
a University Press

Published by a known organization (such as the ACLU or the AARP), a university website, a reputable publishing house, a magazine, or a newspaper

Published by a K-12 school or an unknown organization (unknown = most people aren’t aware of it)

Self-published (blogs, personal websites, fan sites, etc.)

Purpose
Why was this information published?
Does it have an agenda or it is purely informational?

To promote unbiased
scholarship on this
topic. Empirical
research with
unbiased sponsors is
preferred

To provide factual knowledge on the topic to adults. Some opinion may be included

To sell something,
persuade someone,
promote an idea, or
provide knowledge to
children

For personal or entertainment purposes OR To mislead or promote propaganda

Relevancy
Does this source contain well-researched information that directly supports your research and fits your information needs?

The vast majority of
this source contains
in-depth,
well-researched
information on your
topic

At least 50 percent of the source contains in-depth information on your topic

Only a small part of
the source contains
information on your
topic
OR
Information is not
well-researched

The source mentions your topic but doesn’t
spend more than a few words on it.