Determining the Relevance of the Information

To be useful to you, the information you find must be central to your argument, not merely be on the same general topic.

  • Does the item contain information relevant to your argument?
    • Read the introduction and conclusion to the item
    • Scan its headings or chapter titles
    • Look through the tables of contents and indexes of books
  • Does the information presented support or refute your ideas?
  • Do you have counter arguments for the information refuting your ideas?
  • Does the material provide you with new information?

Determining the Intended Audience

  • Now that you have the item in front of you, who is the real audience?
  • How much prior knowledge does the author expect of her/his audience?
    • Is it too elementary or too advanced to be of use to you?
    • Does the author provide adequate background information to aid understanding?
  • What biases might the author's audience have? Is this important for you to address in your work?

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