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Effective Writing Center (EWC)

How do I create an argument and back it up with research?

Evaluating Resources (Continued...)

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Other experience might also make an author credible: if she or he once suffered from migraines but changed this with a combination of diet and exercise, then this author may also have credible knowledge about this topic. Personal experience can make an author less objective, however. While this may not disqualify the source, it’s important to be informed about any biases the author might have.

  • Publication Information: How and where was the source published or made available to the public? Often your instructor will require that you use the online library databases to search for magazine, newspaper, and/or journal articles. Many of these can be accessed online, so you’ll be able to read and print the entire article without even leaving your computer.

Although articles in newspapers and popular magazines can help with introductory research, since they help you to learn the basics of a topic, you will probably want to use scholarly resources for more advanced research. Peer-reviewed periodicals are often excellent resources, since each article will have been evaluated and reviewed by independent experts in the field prior to publication. Here are some characteristics of peer-reviewed periodicals: 

  • The author is a scholar or researcher in the field
  • The author cites his or her sources in footnotes or a bibliography
  • The journal is published or sponsored by a professional organization (such as the American Medical Association or American Bar Association)
  • The journal is published by an academic institution (such as the University of Maryland) or research institution (such as the National Institutes of Health)
  • There is very little, if any, advertising
  • The title contains the words Journal, Quarterly, or Review 

If you are using a source accessed via the Internet (rather than through an electronic database), you should determine the credibility of the sponsoring organization by considering the following:

  • What is the website’s URL? Pay particular attention to the last part of the domain name (for example, the edu in the URL www.umuc.edu). A .edu indicates that the website’s sponsoring organization is an accredited college or university, while a .org usually indicates that the sponsor is a nonprofit organization. A .com or .net may indicate that the sponsor is for profit.
  • Is there an About page or a link to more information about the sponsoring organization? Organizations may have a mission statement that reveals a particular bias or stance.
  • While none of these may necessarily disqualify or qualify a source, they can help you determine if the website has any biases on either side of an issue or topic.

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