You can evaluate any source using the 5 W's:
This infographic explains how different sources are created and shared, including:
Many college assignments require you to use peer reviewed articles, also known as scholarly or academic articles.
This brief video explains what peer review means.
Scholarly articles -- also called peer reviewed or academic articles -- follow a very specific format.
This video describes how to read and understand scientific research articles.
Investigate the SourceYou don’t have to do a three-hour investigation into a source before you engage with it. But knowing the expertise and agenda of the person who created the source is crucial to your interpretation of the information provided.
When investigating a source, fact-checkers read “laterally” across many websites, rather than digging deep (reading “vertically”) into the one source they are evaluating. That is, they don’t spend much time on the source itself, but instead they quickly get off the page and see what others have said about the source. For example, look up the publisher on Wikipedia, to quickly check for credibility.
Watch the short (2:44) video below for a demonstration of this strategy.
Much of what we find on the internet has been stripped of context. People who re-report stories get things wrong by mistake, or, in some cases, they are intentionally misleading. When you trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original source you can see it in its original context and get a sense of whether the version you saw was accurately presented.
Please watch the following video (1:33) that discusses re-reporting vs. original reporting and demonstrates a quick tip: going “upstream” to find the original reporting source.
Find Better CoverageWhat if the source you find is low-quality, or you can’t determine if it is reliable or not? Perhaps you don’t really care about the source—you care about the claim that source is making. A common example of this is a meme you might encounter on social media. The random person or group who posted the meme may be less important than the quote or claim the meme makes.
Your best strategy in this case might be to find a better source, to look for other coverage that includes trusted reporting or analysis on the claim. Rather than relying on the source that you initially found, you can trade up for a higher quality source.
Please watch this video (4:10) that demonstrates this strategy and notes how fact-checkers build a library of trusted sources they can rely on to provide better coverage.
| Pros | Cons |
| Worlds largest encyclopedia with millions of entries on obscure topics | Articles are not edited or peer-reviewed |
| Great place to start & identify keywords |
Many instructors will not allow Wikipedia citations because they are not not edited or reviewed |
| Updated regularly, sometimes by the second | Articles get vandalized for ideological reasons or just for fun |
| Can include excellent references & external links | Can be skewed or biased -- based on authors interests, beliefs, opinions |
| Anyone can edit Wikipedia -- the people's encyclopedia! | Anyone can edit Wikipedia -- no one checks their credentials or agendas |
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Databases include articles from:
...and other sources |
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Cabrillo has more than thirty databases. Some, such as Academic Search Complete, are general and cover all subjects. Others, such as Literature Resource Center, cover specific subjects. |
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To research a specific subject, use a subject-specific database, such as American History & Life
To research a topic across many different subjects, try using SuperSearch. SuperSearch can also be useful for finding sources on obscure topics
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Scholarly articles are written and reviewed by experts in the field. They include a lot of research and data and an extensive works cited list the. They are published in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. |
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Popular articles are written by professional writers or journalists for a general audience. They are not reviewed by experts in the field, and they rarely include a works cited list. |
Background sources that provide context
Exhibit sources that illustrate the issue, e.g. primary sources
Argument expert witnesses, use to argue or complicate your argument. Credentials important here
Method framework, theoretical approach… most difficult, for more advanced students, students in their major (e.g. World Systems Theory, Feminist Framework, Marxism)
Students can use BEAM to:
Tutorial: Focus on evidence not sources
