Assess Sources for Use: Home

In doing research you’ll usually find plenty of sources of information that are good quality, but not all of these sources will be equally useful to you.  Some will FIT your assignment better than others.  Finding information is not the end of research. You want to make sure your information supports the point you’re trying to make.  

Watch the video on this page. Then think about the FIT of sources for your current purpose.

The FIT or RELEVANCE of a source can be the deciding factor on whether you choose to use or discard an information source.  Not all information sources are equally useful for a given assignment.  

For each source you are thinking about using for an assignment, ask yourself:

• Does the source meet the requirements of my assignment? 
• Does the source contain important facts that I need?
• Does the source give me a deeper understanding of my topic?
• Does the source support a point or claim I'm making?

When selecting sources for research assignments it is important to look at the RELEVANCE of the source.  Think about how the new information fits in with what you already know and how you want to present your argument. This will help you get the best sources for your needs.