Inquizitive: Evaluating Sources

Sources that have URLs ending in .org can always be used in research projects.

False

When deciding whether to use a source, you should be sure that the source reflects only your own arguments. Presenting multiple perspectives tends to weaken a project's credibility and confuse readers.

False

A writer is researching the practice of kneeling during the national anthem as a form of protest. She finds an article in a sports entertainment magazine that expresses her opinion exactly. How could this source be used in a project?

as a representation of views that are circulating in the popular media

Which questions are most important to ask when critically evaluating a source's argument?

Important Are there references or links—and if so, are they credible? What arguments does the author make? How thoroughly does the author consider alternative arguments? Less important How entertaining is the argument? How easy is the argument to understand?

Which steps are most useful when determining the stance of a source?

Useful Note whether the source covers various points of view or advocates only one perspective. Research the author to see if they are known for a particular position on the subject. Consider whether the title of the source suggests a certain slant. Less useful Look up difficult words. Read through the source's bibliography.

Are the following statements about the publication dates of sources correct or incorrect?

Correct A recent publication date doesn't always mean a potential source is good; some topics require current information, whereas others call for older sources. If a website lists no publication or update date, you should see if links to other sites still work. Checking links is one way to determine whether the site is too dated to use. Incorrect It is always okay to use a source that has no date as long as the source contains information that supports your point.

Read the abstract for the article "Choosing the Perfect Shot—the Loaded Narrative of Imagery in Online News Coverage of Vaccines." Which of the following arguments would likely be supported by this source? Which would likely be challenged? (Click on the image at right to enlarge and read the abstract.)

ChallengedPress Space to open Correct label: People develop their own perspectives about issues through logic and are not susceptible to outside influence. Neither supported nor challengedPress Space to openPeople have the power to shape the media. Correct label: News stories about vaccination are promoted more than health-related stories. Correct label: People have the power to shape the media. SupportedPress Space to open Correct label: People can be shaped by the media.

A writer is studying what kinds of policies colleges and universities should develop to prevent the spread of meningitis among their students. She does a web search to look for potentially useful sources. The writer wants to evaluate the pros and cons of each of these search results to decide which ones to read. Sort the following attributes of these initial search results according to whether they are strengths or weaknesses.

Strengths The introductory text for "Meningitis - American College Health Association" The sponsor of the website for "Why Is Meningitis Still Causing Deaths on U.S. College Campuses" The publication date of "Meningitis Threat for College Freshmen" Weaknesses The title of the article "How to Protect Your College-Age Teen from Meningitis"

A writer researching a proposed bill to ban abortion finds an article about some of the controversies surrounding abortion. The article isn't directly relevant to his project, but the articlecontains an extensive bibliography. The student should consider this a potentially useful source.

True

Critically reading sources means being able to extract and understand the reasons and evidence authors provide to support their argument. Read the abstract for the article"Choosing the Perfect Shot—the Loaded Narrative of Imagery in Online News Coverage of Vaccines" and select the evidence the authors provide to support their conclusions. (Click on the image at right to enlarge and read the abstract.)

vaccine-related images from Google News Archive

It is important to consider an author's credentials when evaluating whether or not a source might be useful. Based on their credentials, which of the following authors are likely to be useful and authoritative sources for a project on persuasive advertisement techniques?

Authoritative Gregory Ciotti, a marketing strategist and guest writer on marketing strategies for Entrepreneurmagazine Not authoritative Simon Brown, a college student majoring in marketing Dr. Craig Chamberlain, PhD in molecular biology

Read the abstract for the article "Choosing the Perfect Shot—the Loaded Narrative of Imagery in Online News Coverage of Vaccines." Which of the following people are likely to be among the intended audience of this article? (Click on the image at right to enlarge and read the abstract.)

Among intended audience people in a health-related field journalists academics who study rhetoric and its influence upon public perceptions people with an interest in scholarly studies Not among intended audience people interested in some light reading

Are the following statements about the works cited by a source correct or incorrect?

Correct The fact that a source is cited in other authors' works is one indicator that the source may be useful. The fact that a source cites other credible, useful sources is one indicator that the source may be useful. Incorrect The fact that all the works cited by a source have the same perspective is one indicator that the source may be useful.

Which of the following are most important to consider when evaluating the usefulness of a source?

Important The source substantially addresses a topic you plan to cover. The source is readily available. The source is cited in other works. The source contains a bibliography that leads to other credible and useful sources. Not important The source is published online. The source agrees with your opinion.

Read this excerpt from "Counting the Contribution of Hunting to South Africa's Economy" by Peet Van Der Merwe, professor of tourism at North-West University in South Africa: "The hunting of wild animals is an emotive issue, drawing fire from anti-hunting organisations and environmentalists as well as many ordinary citizens. But it also has its supporters, some of whom argue that hunting, in particular, is a valuable source of income and that it contributes to conservation of wildlife, that can be used to protect threatened species and be put to other good uses. ..."From our research, conducted in South Africa, we established that hunting contributes immensely to economic development. We looked at two main groups of hunters: international hunters, also referred to as the trophy hunters, almost all of whom are foreigners, and local hunters, known locally as the biltong hunters who hunt for meat (Biltong is a local dried meat similar to jerky)." Source Citation: Van Der Merwe, Peet. "Counting the Contribution of Hunting to South Africa's Economy." The Conversation, 15 Nov. 2018, https://theconversation.com/counting-the-contribution-of-hunting-to-south-africas-economy-106715. Accessed 10 Dec. 2018. Based on the source information and the content of the excerpt, sort the following statements according to whether they are correct or incorrect.

Correct The author provides evidence to support his claims. This article presents several different perspectives on hunting. Incorrect The author's background suggests that he will present an objective stance on the issue of hunting. The main purpose of this article is to inform readers about the pros and cons of hunting.

If a source is published online, it's credible.

False

Imagine that you are researching the topic of police shootings in order to eventually pose and investigate a question. When researching, you should only search for sources that reinforce your own opinion on the subject.

False

Below are some questions a writer might ask to determine whether a source is likely to be useful. Drag and drop each of the following questions to the area of the website where a writer might look to find the answer.

1. Who is the sponsor of this website? 2. Who is this source's audience? 3. How current is this source? 4. Does this source have a specific stance?

Fill in the blanks to complete the following statement. One way to determine whether a source is useful is to consider its relevance. How well does a source relate to the writer's -Press Space to openpurposefootnoteopinionintroductorytitledocument type? What would it add to the writer's work? To get a sense of what the source covers, look at the -Press Space to openpurposefootnoteopinionintroductorytitledocument type and at any -Press Space to openpurposefootnoteopinionintroductorytitledocument type material (such as a preface or an abstract).

1. purpose 2. title 3. introductory

Based on the abstract of "Choosing the Perfect Shot—the Loaded Narrative of Imagery in Online News Coverage of Vaccines," which of the following arguments do the authors most likely make in the article? (Click on the image at right to enlarge and read the abstract.)

Nearly one in eight vaccine-related news images carries negative connotations, which may have a negative impact on viewers' attitudes toward vaccination.

A writer wants to study the impact of glacier melt over time. She finds a website that discusses the effects of glacier melt, but it's published by an environmental group for the purpose of promoting environmentally friendly policies, and it has a clear bias. Which of the following statements are correct?

Correct This source could provide additional sources for the writer to research. This source could provide evidence for the writer's argument in conjunction with other sources. Incorrect This source could be the writer's only source, because it presents a perspective she agrees with.

A writer is studying the incidence of meningitis among college students and searches for useful sources in the Health Source database at his school. The writer wants to evaluate the pros and cons of each of these search results to decide which ones to read. Sort the following attributes of these initial search results according to whether they are strengths or weaknesses.

Strengths the availability of "'This Disease Isn't Rare Enough For Me'" the publisher of "New Vaccine May Help Control a Lethal Infection" Weaknesses the publication date of "A Shot in the Dark" the publisher of "The Vaccines College Kids Need"

A writer is studying recycling practices, and she finds an article written by an organization that is pro-recycling. The article presents only one perspective on this issue. When is it acceptable for the writer to use a source like this?

The writer can use this source as long as she explains the source's stance and includes other perspectives.

A writer is trying to find information about affirmative action for a college project, and a web search turns up the following URLs. Study the URLs and match them with the probable content of the websites they direct to.

recent news regarding affirmative actionwww.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/07/07/626500660/everything-that-s-going-on-with-race-ethnicity-and-school-admissions-right-now Correct label: www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/07/07/626500660/everything-that-s-going-on-with-race-ethnicity-and-school-admissions-right-now an opinion piece about affirmative actionwww.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/opinion/affirmative-action-college.html Correct label: www.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/opinion/affirmative-action-college.html laws that deal with affirmative actioneducation.findlaw.com/higher-education/affirmative-action-and-college-admissions.html Correct label: education.findlaw.com/higher-education/affirmative-action-and-college-admissions.html general information about affirmative action with links to other potentially useful sourcesen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirmative_action_in_the_United_States Correct label: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirmative_action_in_the_United_States

When evaluating a website as a potential source, it's important to determine the sponsor of the website. You can often determine the sponsor by looking at the URL. Match the following sponsors to the corresponding URL endings. 1. government agencies 2. military 3. commercial organizations 4. colleges or universities 5. nonprofit organizations

1. .gov 2. .mil 3. .com 4. .edu 5. .org

If an author's credentials are not stated or linked to within a source, that source should not be used.

False

Consider the following excerpt from "Celebrity Voices Are Powerful, but Does the First Amendment Let Them Say Anything They Want?" by Shontavia Johnson, a professor of intellectual property law at Drake University: "When NFL player Colin Kaepernick refuses to stand for the national anthem, or the cast of the Broadway musical Hamilton confronts the vice president-elect, or the Dixie Chicks speak out against war, talk quickly turns to freedom of speech. Most Americans assume they have a constitutional guarantee to express themselves as they wish, on whatever topics they wish. But how protected by the First Amendment are public figures when they engage in political protest?"Coming out publicly, whether for or against some disputed position, can have real consequences for the movement and the celebrity. However helpful a high-profile endorsement may be at shifting the public conversation, taking these public positions—particularly unpopular ones—may not be as protected as we assume. As a professor who studies the intersection of law and culture, I believe Americans may need to revisit their understanding of U.S. history and the First Amendment." Source Citation: Johnson, Shontavia. "Celebrity Voices Are Powerful, but Does the First Amendment Let Them Say Anything They Want?" The Conversation, 11 Dec. 2016, https://theconversation.com/celebrity-voices-are-powerful-but-does-the-first-amendment-let-them-say-anything-they-want-69467. Accessed 10 Dec. 2018. Based on the source information and the content of the excerpt, sort the statements below according to whether they are correct or incorrect.

Correct The writer of this article assumes that the audience will know or be willing to find out something about pop culture. Incorrect Based on the title and first two paragraphs, this article is likely to argue that NFL players should not take a knee during the national anthem. If this source has a bias, it cannot be used. The author writes from a conservative religious perspective.

Fill in the blanks to complete the following statement. One way to determine whether a source is useful for a writer's purpose is to consider the publisher of the source. If the source is a book, what kind of -Press Space to openexpertscompanyreviewperiodical published it; if an article, what kind of -Press Space to openexpertscompanyreviewperiodicaldid it appear in? Books that are published by university presses and articles that appear in scholarly journals are reviewed by -Press Space to openexpertscompanyreviewperiodical before they are published. But books and articles written for the general public do not undergo rigorous -Press Space to openexpertscompanyreviewperiodical or fact-checking.

1. company 2. periodicial 3. experts 4. review

Some areas of study require current information; others call for older sources, or a mix of current and older sources. Which of the following research topics likely require current sources only? Which likely allow for both current and historical sources? 1. the best medical procedures for heart problems 2. philosophies on childhood education 3.effects of fracking on the environment

1. current sources 2. current and historical sources 3. current sources

Imagine that you are researching caffeine use among people aged sixty and over, and you come across a July 1998 article entitled "Caffeine and the Elderly" in the scholarly journal Drugs & Aging. Which of the following questions are most important to consider when judging the usefulness of this source?

Important Is it available? Is it relevant? How current is it? Does it cover various points of view? At what level is it written? Not important Is it comprehensive?

Fill in the blanks to complete the following statement. You should approach sources with an open mind but consider arguments with a critical eye, keeping in mind a number of questions. What is the author's stance? Does it seem objective, or does the content or language reveal a particular _____? Are opposing views considered and treated ________? Does this source support or ______ your own position—or does it do both? Does it support a different argument altogether? Does it represent a position you need to address? Do you recognize ideas you have run across in other ______? Are you a member of the ______ addressed—and if not, does that affect the way you interpret what you read?

1. bias 2. fairly 3. challenge 4. sources 5. audience

A student is researching how teenagers spend their leisure time. She comes across this line graph in a report by the Pew Research Center on social media use in 2018 and wants to use it in her project. What are some of the important questions she should ask when deciding whether to use the source?

Important How was the information in the graph compiled? What is the purpose of the graph? Who compiled the information in the graph? Less important Is the graph attractive enough to use? Is it easy to figure out how to cite the graph?