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Library & Research Readiness Series for Canvas Commons

This series contains modules for use in Canvas course shells. Each module is dedicated to exploring information literacy and/or library use topics, each intended to offer an asynchronous method of delivering content to prepare students for academic resear

Evaluating Sources

**RECOMMENDATION: This module is recommended to be paired with the "Exploring Different Source Types" module if the goal is to both:

1) introduce students to a comprehensive overview of all source types

2) teach students how to evaluate resources as credible or along the criteria of scholarly vs. more pop-culture sources

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This module (Library & Research Readiness: Evaluating Sources) was built with the following components:

After completing this module, students will be able to:

1) Distinguish between academic and popular resources

2) Apply criteria to evaluate the credibility and intended audiences of specific information

3) Use the library to find Academic/Peer-reviewed titles more easily.

It was built with the following components:

  • Goals for the module (student learning outcomes)
  • Pages with text describing basic criteria for evaluating resources for gradients of credibility, academic vs. popular voices in research, etc.
  • Two (2) videos providing examples and suggestions on evaluating resources:
    • Criteria for Evaluating Resources (13:40 min.):
      • Tips on evaluating credibility through the lens of the rhetorical triangle (ethos, pathos, logos), and considering the currency/relevancy/accuracy/authority/purpose method when reviewing resources for credibility and quality.
    • Academic vs. Popular Sources (15:50 min.): 
      • Overview of how to identify and classify sources as being academic or more popular/public arena publications, criteria to assist in determining quality of the academic publication, and using the Library's main search tool to help refine resource lists to only show academic publications.
  • A 5-question multiple-choice quiz (a 5-point practice quiz in Canvas) to assess student retention of this information.
  • A link to a brief online feedback survey, so that students can share their feedback with the Library.
    • NOTE: Some of the video portions in the module seem to linger on a black screen for a bit, but it will pass. The video embed seems to have cause a minor compatibility issue with Canvas, but the content is there. 

If you have any questions about this module or any of the other Library & Research Readiness modules in Canvas Commons, please contact both Michael.Manasco@uah.edu and Ron.Schwertfeger@uah.edu. 

Find this module here in Canvas Commons.