Evaluating Sources: CAPOW!

1. Currency
 What is the publication date or last date
updated?
 Is the content timely, useful, and valid for
your information need?

2. Authorship
 Who wrote the content?
 What makes that individual author or
organization qualified to write it? What
other information about the author is
included?
 Who sponsored the content?

3. Purpose
 Is the purpose of the content to inform, to
entertain, or to promote a product or
service?
 Who is the intended audience?
 Does the information seem credible? If
so, can you check the information against
another resource (i.e. book, journal article,
newspaper, etc.) for credibility?

4. Objectivity
 Is content biased?
 Are opinions balanced or does the author
have an agenda?
 How does the bias influence the
information?

5. Writing
Style
 Does the information contain a
bibliography, references, or a list of
sources supporting its theme, topic, or
agenda?
 Is content presented at an appropriate
level for an academic research paper?
 Does the supporting information fit your
research need?
 Is the work complete, or is it a summary
of other work?