Evaluating your sources.

To build a strong paper you must choose the sources you cite carefully. Judge if the source is credible and the relevance of the topic. This section of the DK Handbook explains how to make those judgments.

When judging the credibility of a source you should ask these question;Who is the publisher? Does the writer have the right credentials? What is the evidence? Is the evidence accurate? Are the author's claims supported by evidence? Does the source cover all the relevant facts and opinions? What is the genre of the source? Are the sources perspective and biases clear? Does the source seek out different perspectives? Does the writing sound reasonable and thoughtful?

You can measure the relevance of the source by asking these questions; Is the information from the source focused on your topic? Is the publication date appropriate for your research? Does the source have different information than the sources you have already collected? Does the source make an interesting point? Does the source suggest another direction your research can go in?

If you use a source that isn't credible your stance can become weak, and the reader won't take you seriously. If the sources you use aren't relevant to your research your stance will appear sloppy and have a lack of focus. Evaluating your sources is very important when trying to build a strong argument.