Writing college-level research papers requires you to use academic sources. Academic sources are ones that are based on evidence, written by experts in the field, typically have references, have gone through peer review, and contain supporting data such as charts, surveys, and tables. Use the following criteria to help your evaluate your sources.
| C | CURRENCY | Is the information up-to date? |
| R | RELEVANCE | Is the information relevant for your needs? |
| A | AUTHORITY | Is it written by an expert in the field? |
| A | ACCURACY | Does the information appear accurate? Is it backed up by facts? Are the links working? |
| P | PURPOSE | Are they trying to sell you something? Sway your opinon? Educate you? Entertain you? |
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Peer Review is the process where something is published ONLY AFTER it has been reviewed and accepted by other experts in the same field. It is a rigorous process and helps publishers distribute factual and credible studies. Many Academic Journals use the peer-review process. |
The Information Timeline/Cycle describes the way information is produced and distributed, and how it changes over time. It's used to describe the progression of media coverage relating to a particular newsworthy event or topic. Important aspects to help you with your paper or project include:
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Sample of information cycle (UW Oshkosh Libraries) |
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Sample Timeline (Krueger Library - Winona State University)
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