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EXSC 301: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Evaluating Sources

Evaluating Information

There are several ways to evaluate the research and information you come across ias you determine what kind of information is best for your research topic.

Using the CRAAP Method to Evaluate Information

The CRAAP method guides you in evaluating your sources according to 5 different criteria: CURRENCY, RELEVANCY, AUTHORITY, ACCURACY, and PURPOSE. Outlined below are the criteria; these can guide you in writing the annotations for your annotated bibliography.

Identifying Peer-Reviewed Articles

Also called a scholarly article, a peer reviewed article is an article written by an expert in a given field that has then been evaluated by other experts in the field; these reviewers evaluate the methodologies, procedures, content, and overall quality of the article. 

How can I identify a peer-reviewed, scholarly article? (link)

The best way to locate peer-reviewed articles is to use the databases available to your through your university.

Primary Research vs. Secondary Research

Utilizing different types of sources could be beneficial to your research. What are some types of sources to consider?

  • PRIMARY ARTICLES: also called original research or empirical articles, these report on research based on actual observation or experiment conducted by the authors. They may use either quantitative or qualitative research methods.
  • SECONDARY ARTICLES: also called review articles, these report on research that has been conducted by others, summarizing their findings. They typically take the form of literature reviews or systematic reviews. These articles can be useful in giving you the overview of the primary research done on a given topic and point you towards specific research studies.