Remember the P.L.A.D.S.
© 1999 Chesapeake College Learning Resource Center
- Publisher
- Level and Quality
- Author
- Date
- Source
Publisher
Knowing the publisher of the source can give some insight into the reliability of the information contained in the source. Here are some things to check for:
- Who published the source, and where?
- Well-known publishing company or small press?
- Newsworthy vs. entertainment?
- Is background information on the publisher given?
Level / Quality
The source must be at least a College Level source of newsworthy quality. Look for:
- Academic or professional sources such as The Journal of the American Medical Association.
- Current news sources, such as Newsweek or the Washington Post.
- Sources containing professional articles written in lay terms.
- Adult, rather than juvenile, books and magazines.
Author’s Reputation
Check the background of the author by asking yourself:
- Who wrote book or article, a single author or compilation of contributors?
- Is the author qualified to write on this subject? What is his professional experience?
- Does the book or article contain a note about the author?
Date of Publication
Follow these guidelines when doing research:
- For historical research, use both primary sources (i.e. The Federalist Papers) and secondary sources that contain current perspectives (i.e. Silverman's 1989 book American History Before 1877).
- For non-historical research, resource should be no more than ten years old.
- For medical or health related topics, sources should be no more than five years old.
- For research related to technology, resources should be no more than two years old.
Source
Be sure that the source is not one-sided.
- The source should not be overly biased or judgmental.
- Determine if the author, or contributors, belong to a politically motivated group. If so, be sure to include another source that adds balance to the opinions given.
The availability and price of the source should be checked.
- If the book or article is not available in the LRC, it may be ordered on Inter-Library-Loan (ILL). Be sure to order early enough to give sufficient time for delivery and use.
- Be sure to check with the LRC, your public library, or have the LRC check with other libraries before purchasing something we may be able to get for you!
If there is inaccurate information on this page, please send correction or comments to: lrcdesk@chesapeake.edu