STUDY SKILLS - EVALUATING THE LITERATURE
This information is taken from:
McWillan and Weyers (2013): 10: Evaluating information sources and McWillan and Weyers (2011): 9: Analysing and evaluating source material.
Facts and ideas originate from someone else's research. You need to develop a critical perspective of all research in order to generate your own learning.
McWillan and Weyers (2013): 10: Evaluating information sources and McWillan and Weyers (2011): 9: Analysing and evaluating source material.
Facts and ideas originate from someone else's research. You need to develop a critical perspective of all research in order to generate your own learning.
1. DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMATION SOURCES
Books
Reference books
Newspapers
Academic journals/periodicals
Popular journals/periodicals
2. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LITERATURE
Information and ideas usually appear first in the primary literature and may be modified later in the secondary literature ...
Primary sources = those is which ideas and data are first communicated or found
Secondary sources = those which quote, adapt, interpret, translate, develop or otherwise use information drawn from primary sources
At BA level you will usually only be dealing with secondary literature. 'Primary research' at this stage usually refers to object analysis, interviews and questionnaires.
3. RELIABILITY
Some sources and facts can be considered very reliable .. well-establshed 'textbook' knowledge usually falls into this category. ...
Other sources are a lot less reliable. They may not cite evidence ... In the worst cases evidence may be fabricated ... These risks are particularly important for web-based information as this is less likely to be refereed or edited. (McMillan and Welters, 2013, pp.121-122).
Authorship
Can you identify who wrote the piece? ... you might be able to judge the quality of what you are reading. This might be a simple decision, if you know or can assume the author is an authority in the area; otherwise a little research (for example, by putting the name in a search engine) might help. ...
Provenance
Is the author's place of work mentioned? This might tell you whether there is likely to have been an academic study behind the facts or opinions given.
4. FACTS, OPINIONS, TRUTH, OBJECTIVITY, SUBJECTIVITY
there is often no 'right' or 'wrong' answer, simply a range of stances or viewpoints. You gain credit for constructing your own argument with evidence to substantiate your position, rather than simply following a 'line' expounded in lectures or a standard text. Even if your supervisor disagrees personally with your conclusions, they will assess your work according to the way you have argued your case. ...
Objective means based on a balanced consideration of facts;
Subjective means based on one person's opinion.
Most academics aim for a detached, objective piece of writing. Nevertheless, it is important to state your own opinion at some point in the work, particularly if some of the evidence might point to a contrary view. The key is to produce valid reasons for holding your opinion. ...
5. REMEMBER!
Consider the age of the source. 'Old' does not necessarily mean 'wrong', but ideas and facts may have altered between then and now. Can you trace changes through time in the sources available to you? ...
Assess substance over presentation. Just because information is presented well, for instance in a glossy magazine or particularly well-constructed website, this does not necessarily tell you much about the quality of its content. Try to look beyond the surface. (McMillan and Weyers, 2011, pp.87-91).
Books
- Give an overview of the subject
- Discuss subject in greater depth
Reference books
- Provide a quick overview of a new topic
- Focus on in-depth coverage of discipline-specific topics
- Source of information on key figures both contemporary and from the past
- Provide up-to-date information on organisations ...
Newspapers
- Provide coverage of of contemporary issues
Academic journals/periodicals
- Provide recent ideas, reports and comment on current research issues
Popular journals/periodicals
- Provide coverage of emerging themes within broad field such as their titles suggest
2. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LITERATURE
Information and ideas usually appear first in the primary literature and may be modified later in the secondary literature ...
Primary sources = those is which ideas and data are first communicated or found
- The primary literature in your subject may be published in the form of papers (articles) in journals
- The primary literature is usually refereed by experts in the author's academic peer group, who check the accuracy and originality of the work ...
Secondary sources = those which quote, adapt, interpret, translate, develop or otherwise use information drawn from primary sources
- ... textbooks and magazine articles are often of this type.
At BA level you will usually only be dealing with secondary literature. 'Primary research' at this stage usually refers to object analysis, interviews and questionnaires.
3. RELIABILITY
Some sources and facts can be considered very reliable .. well-establshed 'textbook' knowledge usually falls into this category. ...
Other sources are a lot less reliable. They may not cite evidence ... In the worst cases evidence may be fabricated ... These risks are particularly important for web-based information as this is less likely to be refereed or edited. (McMillan and Welters, 2013, pp.121-122).
Authorship
Can you identify who wrote the piece? ... you might be able to judge the quality of what you are reading. This might be a simple decision, if you know or can assume the author is an authority in the area; otherwise a little research (for example, by putting the name in a search engine) might help. ...
Provenance
Is the author's place of work mentioned? This might tell you whether there is likely to have been an academic study behind the facts or opinions given.
4. FACTS, OPINIONS, TRUTH, OBJECTIVITY, SUBJECTIVITY
there is often no 'right' or 'wrong' answer, simply a range of stances or viewpoints. You gain credit for constructing your own argument with evidence to substantiate your position, rather than simply following a 'line' expounded in lectures or a standard text. Even if your supervisor disagrees personally with your conclusions, they will assess your work according to the way you have argued your case. ...
Objective means based on a balanced consideration of facts;
Subjective means based on one person's opinion.
Most academics aim for a detached, objective piece of writing. Nevertheless, it is important to state your own opinion at some point in the work, particularly if some of the evidence might point to a contrary view. The key is to produce valid reasons for holding your opinion. ...
5. REMEMBER!
Consider the age of the source. 'Old' does not necessarily mean 'wrong', but ideas and facts may have altered between then and now. Can you trace changes through time in the sources available to you? ...
Assess substance over presentation. Just because information is presented well, for instance in a glossy magazine or particularly well-constructed website, this does not necessarily tell you much about the quality of its content. Try to look beyond the surface. (McMillan and Weyers, 2011, pp.87-91).
REFERENCE
McMillan, K and Weyers, J. (2011) How to write dissertations and project reports. Harlow: Pearson.
McMillan, K. and Weyers, J. (2013) How to improve your critical thinking and reflective skills. Harlow: Pearson.
McMillan, K and Weyers, J. (2011) How to write dissertations and project reports. Harlow: Pearson.
McMillan, K. and Weyers, J. (2013) How to improve your critical thinking and reflective skills. Harlow: Pearson.
