Information does not stay the same. It evolves over time. 

Information changes in format, content, and quality. When choosing information, consider the flow of information. Are you selecting the best resource available?

Evaluating information 

Not all information is created equally. 

• Access: is it readily available?
• Authorship: is the person writing qualified? 
• Context: Does it specifically address your research needs?
• Date: Is it current or still relevant? 
• Purpose: Why was this information created?
• Source: Can you find a bibliography

How to Evaluate Different Types of Articles

When doing research, you will come across three main types of articles: Scholarly, Trade, and Popular. There is a time and place for each type of article. 

1. Scholarly: Highly reliable, use freely. Written by scholars for scholars
2. Trade: Use with caution, written by people in the industry for people in the industry 
3. Popular: Avoid, authority and reliability hard to determine.