Skills Lesson: Gathering and Evaluating Sources

Analyze the images below and answer the question that follows Based on the publishing and copyright information provided, is the book Understanding Cloning suitable for use in a research project about cloning conducted in the year 2011?

It depends on how much the topic has changed.

Analyze the screenshots below and complete the statement that follows. The publisher is most likely __________.

Purdue University

Analyze the screenshot of an author's credentials and answer the question that follows. If an author with the above credentials wrote an article titled "Conducting Primary Research," would you consider it a credible source?

Yes, the author has studied and published within the topic.

Before you evaluate the content of the sources, evaluate the __________ information.

bibliographic

If a source appears credible based on the bibliographic information, what should you do next?

evaluate the content of the source

The description below is based on an actual author bio found at the bottom of a website. Evaluate the author's credentials based on the description and answer the question that follows. Robert Smith is the world's first human cloning activist. Mr. Smith founded the world's first pro-human cloning group on February 26, 1997, immediately after the announcement of Dolly's birth. He also organized the first demonstration in support of human cloning on Saturday, March 1, 1997. He has appeared on numerous TV shows and radio programs in support of human cloning. Based on the author's background, which of the following might be found in the articles on a website authored by Robert Smith?

one-sided presentation favoring human cloning

Read the description below and answer the question that follows. People magazine is an attractive, colorful magazine that contains many images. The articles, generally about pop culture or celebrities, are short and often not cited. The language is simple; the purpose is to entertain, sell, and promote. Based on the description above, what kind of magazine is People?

popular

Read the description below and answer the question that follows. The magazine Science publishes peer-reviewed articles, which are reviewed by a board of reviewing editors. Although it has pictures and diagrams, the overall tone of the magazine is orderly and serious. A subscription is required to read the articles, but the abstracts for the articles are available for anyone to read online. The magazine is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a nonprofit organization that seeks to better public understanding of science. Based on the above description, what kind of magazine is Science?

scholarly

Read the description below and answer the question that follows. The American Economic Review has been producing articles on a range of economic topics since 1911. In order to be considered for publication, articles must be original work not published anywhere else and must fully reference all works consulted. Each article must also reference all prior work on the same subject and compare itself to all prior work. Articles are carefully reviewed and include abstracts. Based on the description and image above, what kind of magazine is The American Economic Review?

scholarly

Analyze the screenshot of a website below and answer the question that follows. What is the purpose of this website?

to explore the causes of infertility