Is it Peer-Reviewed?
Use Ulrichsweb to find out whether a journal is peer-reviewed.
Look for this symbol 
after conducting a search by the journal title, this symbol indicates that the journal is peer-reviewed.
Confused by what ‘peer reviewed’ means? This video will tell you and explain how it works. (2:11)
Evaluating Sources
When evaluating sources consider:
1. Suitability- Is there relevant information?
2. Objectivity- Can you detect the bias?
3. Accuracy and Credibility- Corroborate with other sources and check references.
4. Currency- What is the date of publication?
5. Authority- Who is the author and publisher?
The National Library of Jamaica (2010). Evaluating Primary and Secondary Sources: An Online Tutorial.
Available from: https://www.nlj.gov.jm/rai/CSEC/Evaluating%20Primary
%20and%20Secondary%20Sources.pdf.
Critical Reading Strategies
1. Preview: See what you can learn about a text before reading it.
2. Contextualize: Situate a text in its historical, biographical and cultural contexts.
3. Question: Ask questions about the text in order to understand it.
4. Reflect: Consider whether this text challenged any of your preexisting beliefs.
5. Summarize: Outline and identify main ideas in your own words.
6. Evaluate: Assess the credibility and logic of the text.
7. Compare:Consider similarities and differences between this text and others.
(adapted from:
http://www.salisbury.edu/counseling/new/7_
critical_reading_strategies.html)
How to Evaluate Resources
Not sure if a source is valid? This video explains how you can tell -- by using the CRAAP test. (2:10)
Scholarly Versus Popular
Primary and Secondary Sources
For a good explanation of Secondary Resources check out this link:
- Defining Primary and Secondary Sources, Library and Archive Canada
For a good explanation of Primary Resources check out these links:
- Defining Primary and Secondary Sources, Library and Archive Canada
- A Guide to Primary Sources, McMaster University Library
