FYS 120: Social Media and Democracy

Sometimes your research topic is so new or so specific, it is hard to find scholarly sources for it.  For example, if you're researching a film or song that came out last year, there hasn't been enough time to publish a fully peer-reviewed paper on that topic.

In that instance, you may find yourself relying on other kinds of sources: blogs, non-scholarly magazine articles, and so on. When you use these materials, you want to ask yourself: How credible is this source?

Even if the resource hasn't been peer-reviewed, you can look for clues to tell you if the information is reliable. The categories in the ACCORD method help you determine if a source is reliable for your project.

Evaluate with ACCORD

Agenda

Why was it created?

• to inform?
• to express an opinion?
• to sell something?

Credentials

Who created it?

• a subject expert?
• a professional writer?
• an enthusiast?

Citations

Can you follow the research?

Look for citations, bibliographies, and functional hyperlinks.

Oversight

Who published it?

Academic presses, professional organizations, and reputable news outlets employ peer reviewers and fact-checkers.

Relevance

Is it suitable?

• how does it relate to your project?
• is it written for an appropriate age group?

Date

When was it created?

• can you easily find the creation date?
• is there likely to be more recent research?

Image of St. Olaf Libraries & IT logo