There a dozens of acronyms and checklists and methods for evaluating sources. They all add up to one goal, though: helping you make an informed decision about...
Is this source worth listening to?
Is there a named author? Is it published by a reputable organization?
Or is it unclear or unknown?
Do they have any relevant credentials?
Are they discussing their area of expertise?
Are citations provided?
They can have a point of view without being biased!
Is the message crafted to get an emotional response?
Is data cherry-picked?
Is there a topic specialization?
Can you pick up on a recurring tone? Or recurring point of view?
Is there a published or modified date?
Is your topic time-sensitive? (Is this important info?)
Starting your research? Overviews are okay.
Otherwise, seek deeper dives. Use multiple sources to get a look from many angles.
A source doesn't have to be WRONG for us to skip it -- it can just not be trustworthy enough.
It's easy to poke holes when we disagree with something.
Did you go easier on a source because it agreed with you?
Evaluate your source's...
Is your source
Recent? Reliable? Relevant?
Is this source up-to-date? Is it about my topic, and does it go into enough depth? Does it come from an authoritative source? Is the information accurate (and are there citations given to back it up)? And why was this information written in the first place?
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