Program & Class Guides: Skill Builders

The Nicolet College Library offers many resources in a variety of formats to the Nicolet College community. Learn more about the different types of resources available and how to use these resources in the research process here. 

It is important to evaluate information to ensure that it is reliable and appropriate to use in your project. Find a brief overview of evaluation criteria below:

1. Determine if the source is non-fiction or fiction.

A non-fiction (factual/not creative) source is generally preferred in a research paper. It is not usually advisable to use a fictional (created from imagination) source in a research paper except for limited purposes, such as illustrating a point.

2. Determine if the topic is accepted by scientific community.

Many topics are considered non-fiction, but the scientific community generally does not consider them valid at this point in time, such as paranormal/parapsychology topics, anti-vaxxing, climate change denial, etc. Talk to your instructor before going any further in the research process if your topic resembles these.

3. Consider all of the following:

• Currency: Determine the age of the source relative to developments in the field. Information within 3-5 years old is preferred unless historical information or perspectives is specifically needed; although slightly older information is acceptable in humanities-type fields. Be very skeptical of stagnant websites. 
• Reliability: Look for evidence of thorough research with credible sources. View sources without citations very skeptically. Determine if it was traditionally published, which typically includes rigorous vetting for non-fiction, or self-published, which may not be vetted at all.
• Authorship: Determine the author of the source. Learn about the author’s credentials, expertise in the field, and any organization/institutional affiliations. View a source very skeptically in which an author can’t be determined. For websites, look for an "about us" page, contact information, and an indication of the mission of the organization. 
• Purpose: Determine if it is an informational resource. View a source created to inflame emotions, sell a product, or for any purpose other than to inform very skeptically.

Click here to learn more about evaluating information.