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The Anthropology of the Paranormal & Supernatural: Evaluating Information

Evaluating Information

Accuracy: How reliable and free from error is the information contained in the source? Are there editors or editorial boards that take responsibility for checking the facts?

Authority: How qualified is the author to write on this subject? How reputable is the publisher? What is the publisher's past performance?

Objectivity: Is the information presented with a minimum of bias? If it is clearly a biased source, is this bias or viewpoint acknowledged in the resource?

Currency: Is the content of the source up-to-date? Is there a clear statement of date of publication? Is it necessary that this source be timely, or is publication date not a significant concern?

Coverage: Does the source cover the material a reader would expect to see after reading the title and preface? Are the topics covered in depth? Are there reference lists of other sources that an interested reader might explore?