Evaluation: What it is & Why it matters

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines evaluate as:

   To determine the value of, or to determine the significance,
   worth, or condition of, usually by careful appraisal and study. 1

The evaluation of sources--the work that you do to determine if a source is valuable to your research--is an essential step of the research process. Evaluating information can be a complicated process. Information that you come across in your research may be inaccurate, fraudulent or biased,
so it is essential that you determine if the sources you find are factual and verifiable.

Learning how to evaluate sources and information to find the best will:

• Save you time

•  Make your research easier

•  Make your paper stronger

•  Help you learn about your topic as you go.

1  Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 2003), 432.