When you are gathering information, whether it's from books, journals, the Internet, etc., you'll need to know whether it's good information. There are many questions you should ask yourself as you decide whether a particular source is good for your research. These concern the authority, relevance, coverage, accuracy, currency, quality and context of the material.

Authority and Credibility:

• Who publishes the book or journal?
• Who is the author(s) of the book or journal article?
• What makes the author an authority on this subject?
• Does the author cite his/her experience/credentials?
• Does the book or article contain footnotes?
• If so, does material taken from other sources appear to be fully credited?

Scope and Relevance:

• Who is the intended audience? (general, specialized, scholars, etc.)
• What is the level of the material? (basic, advanced, for geniuses only, etc.)
• Is the material appropriate and useful for your purposes?

Coverage:

• What time period is covered?
• What geographical area is covered?
• How comprehensive and specific is the information?

Bias and Accuracy:

• How is the information presented? (fact, opinion, propaganda, etc.)
• If presented as fact, is it accurate?
• Is there a bias? (cultural, political, religious, etc.)
• If so, is the bias clearly stated?

Currency and Timeliness:

• How recent is the book or article?
• How important is this to you and your topic?

Quality:

• What was the quality of the research methodology?
• Did it use accepted methodologies for its field, as far as you know?
• What is the validity
• Is the article clearly written and well-organized?

Context:

• How does the book or article fit into its discipline discourse?
• Is new research being reported or is the author reviewing previously conducted research?
• Does the author agree or disagree with the majority of other scholars in the discipline?
• Is this the first article of its kind within its discipline?