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Source Evaluation

This guide is here to help students evaluate resources to improve or build their research skills.

What Are the 5 Ws?

These 5 question words offer a deeper understanding of your research findings in relation to your topic. Use these question words as a guide for looking at how your sources are useful and relate to your topic.

  • Who?
  • What?
  • When?
  • Where?
  • Why?

Who

  1. Who is the author?
  2. Who is the audience?
  3. Who is this about?

What

  1. What is the purpose of this?
  2. What can I use this for?
  3. What is the main point or points?

When

  1. When was this published?
  2. When was it popular?

Where

  1. Where did I find this source?
  2. Where has it been referenced?
  3. Where has it been published?

Why

  1. Why is this relevant?
  2. Why should I not use this?
  3. Why should I use this?