Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Annamaria Kilyeni
annamaria.kilyeni@upt.ro
Sources
There is a wide range of documentation sources aimed at supporting the access to and
the transfer of specialized knowledge. Typical documentation sources include:
Evaluation
1. Authorship
Determining the credibility of the person who authors a documentation source is the
first thing to do in the evaluation process. All sources must be evaluated in light of the authors
credentials. If the author is not a credible source for information, the information presented in
the document might be unreliable. The following aspects should be taken into consideration:
the authors reputation in the field, the authors education, training and/or experience in the field,
the presence or absence of contact and biographical information, positive or negative reviews.
The publishing body and the publication date are equally important in establishing the
reliability of documentation sources. Before a printed source is accepted for publication, the
content generally undergoes an in-depth reviewing process to make sure that it meets the quality
standards of the publisher, whose name is clearly mentioned in the document.
On the Internet, however, it is often rather difficult to establish the identity of the
publisher and thus, the existence of a quality control process. When assessing online
documentation sources, it is therefore advisable to determine and examine the websites
affiliation, which should be provided on the homepage. Sources available on the websites of
well-known professional organizations, public institutions, corporations, newspapers,
magazines, journals, universities, non-profit organizations, etc., usually present reliable
information. If affiliation cannot be identified, the website should be avoided.
The date of publication and the copyright date are equally relevant when evaluating a
documentation source, as they point to the timeliness of information. It is important to identify
when the source was created, as it allows users to determine whether the content is up to date
Lect. dr. Annamaria Kilyeni
annamaria.kilyeni@upt.ro
in a specific domain. For online sources, the date of publication and the last updated date
should be stated clearly.
The target audience and the purpose for which a source was created should be easily
identified and taken into account in order to determine whether the content is appropriate for user
needs.
4. Accuracy
5. Layout
The way in which the information is arranged may also play a role in assessing the
reliability of documentation sources. A good layout (i.e. one that is clear, uncluttered and
visually pleasing) makes it both easy and enjoyable for users to access information, and may
therefore strengthen the credibility of a source. However, appearances can sometimes be
deceiving, especially on the Internet, where a well-designed webpage does not necessarily
guarantee credibility.