WRTG 103 EAPP Critical Reading, Reasoning & Writing (Sloan)

Who?

Who developed, wrote, and published the content?

Author

• Was the content created by an individual or an organization?
• What is the author's profession and how does that indicate expertise?
• What does the author value with regards to this topic?
• Does the author stand to benefit from their position?

Publisher

• Are you familiar with the publisher or larger source (e.g., New York Times)? Are they considered trustworthy?
• Does the publisher have a stated code of ethics?
• What are their publishing policies (if known)?

What?

What are some of the characteristics of this source?

• Was the source created for a specific audience or group of individuals?
• Is this an academic source that has cited references and uses disciplinary jargon?
• Is this a practical source meant for a layperson?
• Was the information created based on research, first-hand experience, or opinion?
• Is there anything about the information that strikes you as odd, incorrect, or biased?

When?

When (and it what context) was the information created or last updated?

• Is the topic still changing?
• How current should the information be for this topic?
• Has anything important happened recently that might change the accuracy of the information?

Where?

Where did the author get their information?

• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Does the author reference other sources or include a bibliography?
• Can you verify the information using other sources?

Why?

Why does this source exist?

• Is the author trying to educate or inform?
• Is the author trying to state their opinion or sell something?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Does the author present more than one viewpoint or is the information one-sided?

How?

How can you use this source to help your research?

• Does it relate to your topic or answer your question?
• Does it provide background information?
• Does it support other research that you’ve found on this topic?
• Does it provide an argument, framework, or theory that you can use for your own research?
• Does it present new information that you can incorporate into your research?