Sources and Information in Academic Research: Avoiding Mistakes in Assessing Sources for Research and during Peer Review

This research note will provide two tools that are potentially useful for those faced with the challenge of assessing the validity of sources and information for research or for doing a peer review exercise of a paper submitted to an academic journal for publication. The first is the A1-E5 method for assessing the reliability of a source of information as well as the credibility of the information provided. The second is an example of a generic guide for assessing the validity of information found on websites. In both cases, the intent is to assist authors or peer reviewers in coming to their own conclusions about the reliability of sources and the credibility of information.