Gathering information is the foundation of all your academic writing. Even if you’re writing an opinion paper or response to an article, you’ll need to provide evidence for your stance. And if you don’t already know, let me tell you that not all sources are created equal.
You want your information to be credible and reliable. How do you know if it is? You’ll need to answer ‘yes’ to all the questions below.
1. Does the source contain evidence to support the claims made?
Look for charts, references, citations, and research to support the ideas presented. Also consider the date of the evidence presented, and ask yourself “Is it still relevant today?” Anything beyond 10 years should be supplemental and not your main sources because many things have changed, both in terms of methodology and general society.
2. Are the authors well-known and respected? –
You want to reference people who are in the field, conducting research, have been published, and are recognized for knowing what they’re talking about. Newspaper and blog articles are not considered scholarly, evidence based resources. Anyone can post anything online, so you’re better off avoiding general websites. Look for academic journals and use databases like EBSCO to locate the best articles.
3. Is the source reputable?
Think about where the information is published. Look at the website it’s coming from, and assess the publishers of books and other print materials. Open source and self-published materials should be questioned. Be wary of Wikipedia. It’s a good place to start if you need ideas, and want to be pointed in the right direction. However, because it’s publicly sourced and not peer-reviewed, Wikipedia is not accepted as a good reference at the tertiary level. Wikipedia is the friend you don’t want to introduce to your parents. It’s a great source of ideas, but you can’t quote it or academics will think differently of you.
4. Is the source intended to add to the body of knowledge on the subject?
Think about whether or not the information presented is for news, trade, industry, or to reach the general public. You want sources that are meant to debate, explain, or provide empirical research on ideas.
5. Was the source written for an academic or professional audience?
If the source was written for public consumption, then it’s not likely to be filled with the kind of data that’s backed up by research. It’s also not likely to be an in-depth study of an issue. Look for resources that are for professionals in the field, researchers, or students.
Remember, academic writing requires you to be accountable for what you say. Make sure you can effectively do that.
