When looking at a source, ask yourself...
WHAT
- Can you identify the type of information source you have found?
- Is it a book?
- An article?
- A web site?
- Something else? (social media posting?)
- What topics are covered?
WHY
- What is the purpose of the information source?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is it meant to inform?
- To persuade?
- To teach?
- To report the findings of some original research?
- To entertain?
HOW
- How does it compare to other items you have found?
- What are the research methods, if any, employed in the source?
- Does the author cite other research? Is there a bibliography? Foot notes?
- Have other scholars cited the information source?
- Does the work succeed?
- How is it useful to me or others?
WHO
- Who is the author?
- What are the author’s credentials?
- What are the author’s affiliations?
- What are the author’s goals & objectives?
WHEN
- When the information was created or last updated?
- Is the date important for the timeliness of the content?
Website:
Last, F. (2011, January 1). Article title. Retrieved November 17, 2015, from Name of web site: http://URL
In-text citation:
...the end of your sentence (Last name, 2001).
Newspaper from website:
Authorlast, A. (2015, November 1). Article title. Name of newspaper, Section, pp. 1-2. Retrieved from http://URL
In-text citation:
...the end of your sentence (Authorlast, 2015).
Blog:
Smith, J. (2001, January 1). Title of post [Blog post]. Retrieved from Name of blog: http://www.blogurl.com
In-text citation:
...the end of your sentence (Smith, 2001).
