Evaluating Research:
Author

The author of the publication is the first thing to consider when evaluating the credibility of your source. There are three items you need to consider:

Special Notes Concerning Web Pages

Sometimes it is difficult--if not impossible--to determine the authorship of web pages because the author's name or publisher is not listed.

    Example 1: Author's Name is Found on Different Page

    Sometimes you need to search the web site in order to determine the author's name.

    Example 2: There is No Author or Institutional Affiliation

    A page or website that includes no author's name or institutional affiliation should not be considered credible unless you know--from previous research--that the information on the page is credible.



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Go to Author Credentials


Dr. Cathy N. Davidson is a reputable author whose most recent book was Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn (2011). Often, students believe that authors such as Dr. Davidson are not approachable. However, I have found that when students send a well written e-mail message to an author, they often get a response. Authors also use social media to interact with readers and those who share their research interests.

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