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Evaluating Information: A.S.A.P. and W5 for W3

A guide to evaluating information designed and created by Clark Librarians
Evaluating information is all about making sure you're using information that is both appropriate and credible. Appropriate means it's the right kind of source for your needs. Credible means that the information is trustworthy or reliable. This page offers several different tips and tutorials you can use to learn how to identify credible information.

Evaluate Information A.S.A.P.

Is a source worth your time and energy? Is it appropriate for your needs? Here is a way to evaluate all types of sources.

  • Author: Look for the author’s name(s), credentials, expertise, and reputation. How many other works have they authored on this subject?
  • Sources: Look for a bibliography, works cited, or other list of sources the author used
  • Age: Look for the publication or copyright date. Is it current enough for your topic? When researching subjects related to science, (like Biology) and Medicine, (such as Dental Hygiene or Nursing), it is often more appropriate if the information is from the last five years.
  • Publisher: Look for the name of the publisher (or parent website). What other kinds of sources does this publisher provide? What does a Google or Wikipedia search for this publisher say?

Evaluate Web Sites: W5 for W3

W5 = Who, What, When, Where, Why

W3 = World Wide Web (www)

  • Who is responsible for the site?

  • What kind of site is it?

  • When was the site created?

  • Where can you find more information?

  • Why is this site here?

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