Guidelines In Evaluating A Research Paper

All critical reviews, however, involve two main tasks: summary and evaluation.Read your assignment instructions carefully to find out what proportion is required for each, and whether these should be presented as separate sections or as a combined text.

It is not always easy to separate fact from opinion. “Skeptics on the Internet: Teaching Students to Read Critically.” 98 (May, 2009): 54-59; Stanford History Education Group. Bias, whether done intentionally or not, occurs when a statement reflects a partiality, preference, or prejudice for or against an object, person, place, or idea.

Facts can usually be verified; opinions, though they may be based on factual information, evolve from the interpretation of facts. “How Students Evaluate Information and Sources When Searching the World Wide Web for Information.” A report from the Stanford University Graduate School of Education found that students evaluating information that flows across social media channels or retrieved from online search engines like Google or Bing, have difficulty distinguishing advertisements from news articles or how to identity where the content came from. "Evaluating Information: The Cornerstone of Civic Online Reasoning." Stanford, CA: Graduate School of Education, 2016; Writing from Sources: Evaluating Web Sources. Listed below are problems to look for when determining if the source is biased.

Inquiring about the Edition or Revision Is this a first edition of this publication or not?

Further editions usually indicate a source has been revised and updated to reflect changes in knowledge, to include prior omissions, and to better harmonize the contents with the intended needs of its readers.

Intended Audience What type of audience is the author addressing?

Is the publication aimed at a specialized or a general audience?

Inquiring about the Date of Publication When was the source published?

Is the source current or out-of-date for your topic?

Inquiring about the Author What are the author's credentials, such as, institutional affiliation [where he or she works], educational background, past writings, or experience?

Is the book or article written on a topic in the author's area of expertise? Have you seen the author's name cited in other sources or bibliographies?