As you evaluate, select, and use available resources, consider the following as you weigh their strengths and weaknesses.
Ws
Begin with the basics asking the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why) and How questions.
Authority
- What do you know about the author(s), publication, publisher?
- Upon what academic or research credentials do they base their authority?
- What is their reputation in the chemistry community?
Transparency
- What kind of review process has it undergone?
- Has the research data been made available for review?
- Is information presented in such a way that enables, rather than hinders, readers from evaluating the information?
- Do the references communicate that the work is academically rigorous?
- Has any funding information or other conflicts of interest been disclosed?
Objectives
- How suited is the research methodology to the research objectives?
- For whom was this written?
- Was this written to inform, entertain, encourage sales, etc.?
Relevance
- Why might you include this in your academic work? What concerns might you have about citing this?
- When citing a source, how might you address any concerns you have about that source in your research?
- How does information from this source complement or challenge other works you are citing?
- If this source was written for expert scholars (e.g., academic or professional chemists) rather than undergraduate students, what resources (e.g, handbooks, encyclopedias) might you use as you read this source?
