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Evaluating Information

Evaluating Information

Not everything you read on websites or in articles and books is created equal. You need to evaluate the authority and content of the information. Published research does not necessarily represent quality research. In addition, websites come and go, or change their URL (ie web address), so any site that is referenced more than a year ago may no longer exist. 

Take a look at the Annals of Improbable Research, [print copies at Q167 .A56 in Science Library] a publication “all about research.” It raises the question “How do you figure out what's important and what's not, and what's real and what's not -- in science and everywhere else?” While this publication is not the definitive authority on what is or is not good research, it does offer an idea of some research that’s being published.

Would you be able to spot bad research if you saw it? Can you tell the difference between a webpage written by someone who has the knowledge and experience to cover the subject matter versus someone who is simply voicing an opinion?

To help you sort through the good, the bad and the confusing, here are some websites that address these concerns. They are arranged in two categories: Evaluating Websites and Evaluating Print Resources (ie journal articles and books). They are listed in no particular order. 

 

 


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Copyright 2005, the Regents of the University of Michigan 
Last Revised : April 26, 2006
Current url: http:www.lib.umich.edu/science/reference/srg/eval_info/
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