ENC 1102: Rhetoric and Academic Research

Questions to ask:

Relevance & Appropriateness

1. Does this pertain to your topic?
2. Is this important to your topic?
3. Will this support your thesis?

Authority & Credibility

1. Who is writing this?
2. Are they qualified to write on this subject?

Accuracy & Verifiability

1. Are there references to check validity?
2. Is the data available on claims made?

Bias & Objectivity

1. Is this author expressing their opinion as fact?
2. Are they trying to sway your viewpoint?

Currency & Timeliness

1. When was this written?
2. Is the date of the information relational to the source?

Scope & Depth

1. Does it have breadth? Broad in scope
2. Does it have depth? Intense in scope

Intended Audience & Purpose

1. Who is this written for?
2. What are they accomplishing by writing this?