Evaluating Resources Summary

One can assess if a resource is valid by checking if the information is accurate, objective, and contains up-to-date examples or other data. The scholarly article “Cultivation Theory” responds to those criteria.

One can check if a resource is reliable by checking if the author is objective and has authority over the subject. One should ask if the resource comes from a scholarly or popular source. An article such as “Cultivation Theory” or the book “Essentials of Business Communication” contains scientific or scholarly analysis and references. On the other hand, the “Persuasion Technology” Wikipedia page cannot be considered reliable since it is edited by various unknown sources.

One can check if a resource is useful by determining if the content is suitable for the research conducted. The scope, or breadth, of the material can cover an overview or a specific aspect of a topic. For example, the blog “Communication Nation” shows a palette of opinions on how to improve various aspects of communication. It is also important to determine the target audience, and if the content is basic or advanced. Evaluating resources in graduate school is essential because it allows students to use the most accurate and relevant information and provides the foundation and depth to support theories and hypotheses.

Although it is appropriate to use Wikipedia at the beginning when researching a topic to have a general overview of a subject, one should ultimately refer to more reliable sources. In that respect, it is better to use information coming from an encyclopedia, which has been submitted to several knowledgeable reviewers. It is essential to cite all sources accurately so the reader can go back and refer to them. These sources serve as supportive points for an argument.