HISTORY 100: FIG: Russia and America (Fall 2024) : Evaluating Articles

You will need to evaluate articles to determine if they are relevant, appropriate, and of high quality. You can ask questions and examine parts of the database entry for the article and the article itself.

• Is the article useful? Evaluate the article title, abstract, subject headings.
  • Is it appropriate for the academic discipline of the course?
  • Is it appropriate for the focus of the assignment?
  • Is it relevant to my research question? 
• Is the article reliable and of high quality?  Is the article scholarly?  Evaluate the article abstract, source, authors and credentials, bibliography,  etc. 
  • What do you know about the author(s) and credentials?
  • What do you know about the source or journal in which the article is published?
  • What is the purpose of the article?  Is it to communicate the results of research?
  • Who is the audience for the article?  Is it other researchers or academics?
  • Does the article refer to other sources and include a bibliography?
  • What about the language used?  Is it academic or technical? 
  • How long is the article? 

For more information about evaluating articles:

• View the Identifying Scholarly Articles video below.
• View the Evaluation Tip Sheet.