Social Work

As you build your skills as a thinker and practitioner in social work, it is always important to think about where the information you are engaging with comes from. There is an abundance of information in the world, and it is important to build your skills in determining whether the information is reliable, authoritative, and ethical. 

These questions are guiding questions and can be used to reflect on the authority, validity, and usefulness of resources you encounter in your research. Depending on the type of research you are doing, some questions may be less important than others. However, these reflective questions will allow you to think critically about your resource whether it is a book, article, oral history, film, or piece of numerical data.

Timeliness

• When was the information created, published, or posted?

• Has the information been revised or updated?

• Does your research topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?

Content

• Does the information relate to your research topic or answer your question?

• Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda? Is there overlap between these categories in this source?

• Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too basic or advanced for your needs)?

Perspective

• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?

• What do we know about them and their expertise? Remember, expertise does not equate academic credentials. 

• What racial, political, ideological, cultural, economic, religious, institutional or personal biases are present? 

Purpose 

• Who is the intended audience?

• Was this information published for a specific purpose or agenda? Is it intended to inform, teach, sell, entertain, or persuade?

Process

• Where does the information come from?

• Is the information supported by evidence?

• Has the information been peer-reviewed? 

• Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?

Privilege

The publishing industry reflects societal privilege, where the majority of authors publishing in academia and beyond are white.

• What voices are amplified in this scholarly conversation? What voices are excluded?

• How does this source contrast with dominant narratives? 

• How does the format push against oppressive hierarchies of knowledge production? 

Adapted from California State University, Chico Meriam Library.