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ECE 135: Infant Toddler Program Development

Evaluating

Evaluate

You can evaluate any source using the 5 W's:

  • Who: ...wrote it? Are they an expert?
  • What: ...is the purpose of this resource?
  • Where: ...was this information published? ...does the information come from?
  • When: ...was this published or last updated?
  • Why: ...is this resource useful? ...is this resource better than other ones?

This infographic from PCC Library explains how different sources are created and shared, including:

  • Number published per day
  • Whether a source is reviewed and fact-checked
  • The authors background and education
  • Whether they cite outside sources
  • How many words they use
  • How much background you need to understand a source

To find descriptions of different types of sources, click on image of icons for different sources: tweets, tumblr blogs, Youtube videos, newspapers, popular magazines, professional journals, scholarly journals, academic books, and encyclopedias

Many college assignments require you to use peer reviewed articles, also known as scholarly or academic articles.  This video from NCSU Library explains what peer review means.

Scholarly vs. Popular

Cover of sJournal of Research in Childhood Education"

 

Scholarly Articles

Scholarly articles -- also sometimes called academic or peer reviewed articles -- are written and reviewed by experts in the field. They include research, data, and an extensive reference list. They are published in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Popular magazine "Parents" with a smiling family of 5 on the cover

Popular Articles

Popular articles are written by journalists for a general audience.  They are also sometimes written by experts, such as preschool teachers, for a general audience.  They are not reviewed by experts in the field, and they generally do not include a reference list.