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STEP 7: Introductory Guide to Searching for Biology Information

Evaluate Information:

Now you've got all this information - but is it any good?

Evaluating the sources you find is a crucial step in the process of library research. The questions you ask about books, periodical articles, or Internet sources are similar whether you're looking at a citation to the item or have the item in hand. Remember that just because something has been published (either in print or on the Web) does not mean that it is useful, or even true.

Critically Analyzing Information Sources, from Cornell University, lists some of the critical questions you should ask when you consider the appropriateness of a particular book, article, media resource, or Web site for your research.

Distinguishing Scholarly Journals from Other Periodicals (also from Cornell) shows how to evaluate articles by looking at their format, intended audience, and appearance.

The Internet is full of information on all kinds of topics. Some of this information is useful, and some of it is not.

Use this guide to Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources, developed at UCLA, to help you determine the value of a particular Web resource.

Bibliography on Evaluating Web Information is a list of sites that discuss evaluating web sources, sites that give examples of why web resources must be evaluated, and humorous sites.

Once you have finished evaluating information, you are ready to move on to Step 8: Cite Your Sources!

Return to the Introductory Guide to Searching for Biology Information title page.

Comments and suggestions to: Janet Hughes

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