Skip to Main Content

Identify and Evaluate Sources

101 help to identify types of sources and evaluate them

In Class Activities

Group work.

Follow the link to the sample article.

Note that there is no need to read the whole article, but review to retrieve information for the table of characteristics.

Follow the librarian instructions.

Individual work.

Follow the link to the sample source. Complete the questionnaire given by instructor.

Note there is no need to read the whole content, but review to retrieve information to answer instructor questions.

Take the Primary Source Quiz.

1. Check all below which are primary sources

  1. Encyclopedia article, Diary, Photograph, Interview, Review
  2. Magazine article, Textbook, Museum artifact, Historical doc
  3. Diary, Photograph, Museum artifact,Interview, Historical doc
  4. Diary, Photograph, Museum artifact, Interview, Review

2. Which of the following is a secondary source?

  1. Textbook chapter on World War II and its famous battles
  2. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech
  3. A photograph of an immigrant family arriving at Ellis Island
  4. A journal kept by a soldier during the American Revolution

3. A Biographical Dictionary is a primary source about Abai.

  1. Yes, it is
  2. No, it is not

4. Which of the following would you use to obtain primary information about the World War II?

  1. Magazine article from 1995
  2. Library
  3. Encyclopedia
  4. History textbook

5. You can not find primary sources in library EDS

  1. Yes, I can
  2. No, I can not

6. Which is not an attribute of secondary source?

  1. It will persuade a reader
  2. It will provide data from research
  3. It will make a restatement of an article
  4. It will critique a play

Provide examples of primary and secondary sources in the table below

Primary Secondary
Statistical table of salaries Article describing trends in salaries
Clinical trials or results of laboratory experience in treating depression                         Book about treating depression with changes in diet and exercise
Declaration of Independence Textbook exploring the history and political thought behind Declaration of Independence
Speech by well-known business leader      Biography of business leader
Physical evidence in a court trial Judge's closing remarks/argument
Blockbuster movie filmed in 1988 Biography of the lead actor
Original artwork, perhaps a sculpture Critique of that sculpture

Go back to the articles reviewed at the activities #1, #2.

Which one is primary and secondary source?

Write down on the whiteboard the key characteristics explaining the answer.

Pair work.

Pick up the sample of the source

Analyze using CRAAP questionnaire.

Report to classmates.

Follow the link to take the final subject quiz.

Library Homepage Facebook Youtube Instagram Twitter Telegram E-mail