Selecting Information

When you select material and information for your assignments, it should never be used indiscriminately - there should be a continual evaluation process occurring. Evaluate information for its relevance and usefulness to your work, and its quality. When looking at a source, ask yourself the following questions.

1. Will this information be useful?

• Is it relevant to my task?
• Does it relate to my topic?
• Does it help me answer a question or solve a problem?

2. Will this information add to my knowledge?

• Does it help me learn more about the topic?
• Does it fill in background information?
• Does it provide specific information?

3. What will I use this information for?

• Could it help to form my central argument?
• Will it help focus my thoughts?
• Can I use it as evidence?
• Will it help me locate other information?

4. How recent is this information?

• Is it out-of-date, or is it still useful?
• Is it the most up-to-date? Does it need to be?

5. How reliable is this information?

• Does this material come from a reputable and unbiased source?
• Is the author an acknowledged expert in the field?

6. How understandable is this information?

• If I find it difficult to understand, do I have to use it?
• Can I choose other information that I do understand?

7. How will I use this information?

• Does it provide evidence or support for my ideas?
• Does it provide a good example?
• Where could I put it in my assignment?

8. Do I really need to use this information?

• How does it help me answer the task?
• Is it essential information?
• Is it new information or am I just restating what I have already said?
• Is it the best example or most relevant piece of evidence? Do I have better material?
• What does it add to my work? Would my assignment be just as good without it?
• Is it too technical or too simple?
• Have I already supported my argument or point of view well enough?
• Do I have enough information to begin my task?

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