Evaluating Research:
Bibliography/Footnotes
The most credible sources provide quality references to support their assertions.
Discussion
Reay Tannahill's Food in History (1988) appears to be a quality publication because it includes 36 pages of footnotes and bibliography. Books without references may be quality publications, but when an author includes his/her references, it adds to credibility.
When I grade research papers, I begin with the "List of Works Cited." If the bibliographic references are not quality, I know that the paper will not be of quality.
Special Notes on Web Pages
One of the features of Resources for Writers is that I list "References and Resources" on many handouts, worksheets, and web pages. Although references do not appear on every page, I believe that I have sufficient notes to demonstrate that the information I am presenting is credible.
