McGraw-Hill Public Speaking

• Locating and evaluating resources
• Locating online resources
• Special considerations for evaluating online resources
• Locating library resources
• General guidelines for evaluating resources
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Click one of the categories listed below or scroll down the page for additional information.

Authorship
Sponsorship
Coverage
Accuracy
Currency

Authorship

Identify the author. There are several places to check for authorship information. In a book, the title and copyright page identify the author. The front matter should also identify the author's credentials. If no author name is found on a printed document, look for a corporate author. Articles identify authors at either the beginning or end of the article with brief bibliographical data.

Consider the credentials of the author. You should only use information written by credible sources. Look for some of the following indicators:

• Degrees, affiliation with a university or reputable organization
  
  
• References to the author as an expert in the work of others
  
  
• References by the author to reputable sources
  
  

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Sponsorship

Identify the sponsoring organization. Different organizations sponsor publications and online documents. Organizational information is found on the title and copyright pages.

Look for signs of organizational bias. Try to determine the organization's motives in providing the information. Is the organization an advocacy organization for some cause? If you're unsure about an organization, check out how they identify themselves. Is the organization selling a related product? Are they trying to push legislative changes on your issue?

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Coverage

Analyze level of detail and scope of coverage. Competent sources provide sufficient detail to support the main points presented in the document.

References cited. Check for a bibliography, sources, or works cited page. If you find one, check whether it includes only links to other web sites, or if it includes printed materials as well. (Sources may also be cited at the bottom of individual pages.)

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Accuracy

Research methods. Check for a detailed description of research methods. Scientific or pedagogical studies should be supported by appropriate research methods.

Verifiable sources. Sources should be verifiable. A search through online catalogs and databases should allow you to locate most books, magazines, and articles.

Source stability. Some documents are temporary by nature. Guides, pamphlets, internal publications, and internet information may be removed from circulation after a short time.

Resource variety. The source should contain a variety of references to different types of documents. If a claim seems questionable, verify that it has been made (with supporting evidence) in multiple sources.

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Currency

Currency refers to how up-to-date a source is. Use sources with current publication dates (usually no more than two years old). If you are giving a speech on a rapidly changing field, sources should be even more recent (within the past six months).

Check the currency of sources used by sources that you want to include.If the most recent information the source references is five years old, it is not current. You may feel it is necessary to include or accept a resource that uses older documents that represent a milestone in the subject area. For example, a speech on the problem of encouraging minorities to vote might cite historical documents on the Voter Rights Act of 1965. However, current sources are needed to look at the status of the issue today.

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