Deck 2: Finding Information

Question 1

Can you name two key indicators of a source's reliability/usefulness?

Answer 1

Peer reviewed journals are generally considered the gold standard, as are books from reputable academic publishing houses. An extensive list of quality references coupled with a clear and objective style of writing also suggests a reliable source. In general, consider such aspects as the authors' credentials and what they stand to gain, the style of language and the ease of verification of the claims.
Nevertheless, remember that even highly disreputable sources can have uses, even if these are not what the authors apparently intended; for example, an emotive opinion piece in a newspaper can serve as a starting point for discussion and might even be cited as an example of the depth of feeling on an issue-just remember to use it carefully!

Question 2

Many lecturers/tutors will tell you never to cite Wikipedia. Why do you think this is? How can you use Wikipedia effectively?

Answer 2

While Wikipedia may be more accurate than often supposed, most entries can be edited by anyone, including those who may be biased, uninformed, misguided, or even malicious. A sound, accurate entry can in theory change quickly to a gravely erroneous one and if the topic is arcane, might stay wrong for a protracted period until a competent editor corrects it. To use Wikipedia effectively:
-Do not cite it; instead, use it to get an overview of the subject and to find potentially more reliable sources.
-Check the page ratings at the bottom of the entry, taking note of the number of ratings as well as the scores, but remember that these are also potentially open to bias.
-Check the 'Talk' and 'View history' pages. Treat with caution any entries that have little discussion and few edits.
-Remember that Wikipedia entries can change very quickly; for topical subjects (e.g. financial crises), information present in the morning might have been removed or changed substantially by evening. If you are allowed to cite Wikipedia entries, always include the exact date of retrieval (and perhaps even the time); better still, check and refer to the sources the entry cites.

Question 3

If you were looking for background information on a topic, where would you start?

Answer 3

Common answers will include Google and Wikipedia and these are certainly good starting points with the provisos discussed above. However, your institution's library is likely to offer a wealth of material not readily accessible online, including books, academic encyclopaedias and subject dictionaries, with the additional advantage that the librarians are close at hand for advice.

Question 4

Again, some of your tutors will tell you to be very cautious about Internet sources. What are the potential problems with Internet sources? How can you ensure that the source you are using is a reliable/appropriate source of information?