Module Searching and Evaluating Credible Sources

Task 1: Answer Questions 1-5 by choosing the best answer.

1. A student has to write a report about the causes of the rebellion in Libya for a Political Science class. Which source is the best place to start?

• Wikipedia entry about Libya
• News article from the New York Times about background on the Libyan rebellion
• History Channel's special on famous rebellions in history
• Blog from a Libyan rebel

2. A mother of a sick toddler is looking for advice on when to take her child to the doctor. She should trust info from:

• A mother's discussion forum where moms can share anecdotes about their kids
• A scholarly article about causes of the common cold in children
• The American Academy of Pediatrics' website
• A diaper company's website that offers advice to parents

3. A student is trying to remember the name of an actor in a movie she recently saw. Which one of these would be an acceptable source for this type of research?

• Wikipedia entry about that movie
• Ebert and Roeper's review of the movie
• Official website for the movie
• All of the above would work for this type of search

4. A student has to research the problem of gang violence among teenagers in large cities. Which source will provide the most reliable information for her project?

• An LA Times special, multi-part report on gangs that was written 15 years ago
• A scholarly article from the Criminal Justice database available through her school library
• A CNN interview on the Internet with a former teenage gangster
• A blog entry about rising gang violence in the city where the blogger lives

5. A student is looking for up-to-date statistics about obesity in children and school lunch programs. Which source would provide the most current, reliable information?

• The US government's Department of Education website
• A scholarly article written five years ago that discusses why school lunches need to be healthier
• An editorial from the Washington Post that cites statistics and then argues that obesity rates are the fault of parents, not school lunches
• A Wikipedia entry about obesity rates in children

Task 2: Now, for Questions 6-10, please explain your answers in 1-2 sentences.

6. I chose my answer in Question 1 because:

7. I chose my answer in Question 2 because:

8. I chose my answer in Question 3 because:

9. I chose my answer in Question 4 because:

10. I chose my answer in Question 5 because:

Submission Requirements:

• Submit your responses for grading in a Microsoft Word document, clearly separating all 10 questions.
• The analysis assignment should be 700 to 900 words.
• Adhere to Standard English grammar, spelling, and punctuation requirements.
• Use 12-point Arial font and double-space.