When evaluating sources consider the following questions:
Who is the author of the source? Are they an expert?
Check their affiliations. Are they active in the scholarly conversation? Google the author.
Keep the context in mind. What voices are missing from the conversation?
What is the purpose of the source? Why was it created?
Consider the type of source and how the information was created, revised, and disseminated. Check for biases.
When was it created and has it been updated?
Does your topic require current information? Could the information have changed?
Where can the information be verified?
Check the references and follow the links.
Why would you choose this source instead of another?
Keep the context in mind.
Examining a Source
The Source
Who is the author of the source? Are they an expert?
The author of this article is Renan G.L. Silva, a postdoctoral researcher in the Health Ethics and Policy Lab at ETH Zürich, Switzerland and is PI/Recipient of Rapid-Response Grant on COVID-19 and Social Sciences awarded by the Social Science Research Council of New York City (SSRC). He holds a PhD in science and technology policy from the University of Campinas, Brazil. His current research interests include knowledge production in synthetic biology-related fields, bioethical issues in Regenerative Medicine and practices, discourses and promises in Precision Medicine. He has a history of research that is highly cited. The author declared no conflicting interests. He received funding from Swiss National Science Foundation Grant n. 205608 (National Centre of Competence in Research Molecular Systems Engineering, NCCR-MSE).
What is the purpose of the source? Why was it created?
This article is from a peer-reviewed academic journal, Globalization and Health. This journal is "dedicated to publishing high-quality, original research exploring how globalization processes affect global public health through their impacts on health systems and the social, economic, commercial, and political determinants of health." This is a specialty journal that focuses on globalization-related aspects of health, globalization-related processes inform the outcomes of the studies. The article was peer-reviewed which means the article was assessed for quality and significance by reviewers (other researchers in the field) before publication.
When was it created and has it been updated?
The article was first published online in 2024, adequately current for this field (AI and biomedical research). As several years pass, there will be articles that further build upon this research.
Where can the information be verified?
The author includes a list of cited references to support his research, many of which can be accessed online through the library databases.
Why would you choose this source instead of another?
You would choose this article if it provides relevant information that can help you answer your research questions, meets your criteria for credibility, and makes sense for your research context (e.g. an essay on AI in health innovation).
Based on Introduction to Library Research - Evaluation Questions from University of Florida.
Infograph from Academic Misinformation, Duquesne University Library
How to Read a Paper
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