Timeliness Information Skills Tutorial Unit 4: Evaluation of Sources Home | Previous Unit | Next Unit | Self-Test | Help  Introduction   Start here   Unit 4 Contents  Topic: Research Questions Determine Currency of Sources Overview Lesson Quiz Overview Is timeliness important in choosing sources? It depends on your research questions. Sometimes the most current information on a topic is also the most useful. It can certainly be the most convenient to access, because much of it is available electronically. However, if you use current resources exclusively, you could miss some of the most important information that may be found in older sources. You should choose the best sources for your information needs, current or not-so-current, regardless of whether they’re in print or electronic form. Top Lesson Before you begin searching, use your research questions to help you determine how current your sources should be. For example, Tom, Dick and Harry are researching our sample topic, gun control: What arguments were made in the debate over ratification of the Second Amendment? (Tom) What are the general arguments for and against gun control? (Dick) Has the NRA received mostly positive or mostly negative press coverage since the recent school shootings? (Harry) For Tom, older sources may be more useful than newer ones, especially if he needs to use primary sources. For Dick, currency of sources may not matter. For Harry, only more recent sources will be useful. Top Quiz An old copyright date on a source indicates that the source is less useful. A. True B. False Unit 4: 9 of 13 Top Last Updated: 05/26/2000 Email: KYVL Help Desk Restricted Access KYVL Help Desk: 1-877-740-4357