Access to Practical Nursing (APN) & Practical Nursing LibGuide 2025

Evaluating Sources & Critical Thinking

The Internet contains millions of web pages and more information than a single person could ever process. People are very reliant on digital content for their news and entertainment. When people get their information from online news outlets, social media, and online publications, it can be difficult to identify biased or inaccurate sources. You may need to review multiple sources to confirm information or seek out original sources to verify information. 

Questions to consider when evaluating your sources

• Is it relevant to your topic? (Why did it match your search terms)

• Are there clues that tell you the author is an expert on the content? (Credentials & Affiliations)

• Does the information advocate for a particular stance or from a specific angle? (Bias)

• Who created this information? (Is there an identifiable author)

• Is there evidence for any claims made or facts presented? (Methodology & Citations)

• Are there links to sources or references? (Citations)

• Why was this information created? (What career stage are the author(s) at; was it funded research)

• Whose voice does this information represent and amplify? (Has the author(s) written on the subject previously; is there a detectible bias)

• Can you find other reliable sources that corroborate the information? (Methodology and Citations)

• Is the information timely, or does it need to be? Is it historical information? (Date created)

• Who is the audience the content was written for? Is it overly simplified or overly complicated? (Was it created for a general or specialized audience)

• How well was it received? (Impact Factors) 

• Are there better sources that exist on this topic? (Literature Review)