This new source is probably one of the most credible sources
i have found thus far. The reason this
source is so credible is because is an Honors College Theses for Pace
University. Although Pace is not as well-known
as other universities a quick Google search will inform you that is ranked in
the top 175 in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities. Some of my major concerns initially were; was
this recently written? The answer i discovered was yes, it was written in
May of 2009. Some of the other questions I had were is it relevant and what is
its purpose? Well the purpose is obviously that it was written for school and
it is very relevant because is covers my topic very well. I also think that it is very accurate and the
information is well supported.
This source is perfect for my topic. Very early on in the
paper it talks about recidivism and tax payers’ money. This is exactly what i have been looking for
and it will be great for my paper.
Here is the link: http://digitalcommons.pace.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1079&context=honorscollege_thesespaper
Here is the link: http://digitalcommons.pace.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1079&context=honorscollege_thesespaper
Derek, for your next source please use the library's database to research a newspaper, magazine, or academic journal article. While a well-researched honors thesis could provide some helpful insight and even possible sources for your own research (it may be worth your time to look at her works cited page), there are a couple of reasons it doesn't hold as much credibility value as other sources. First, it's written by an undergraduate student, and while she may be incredibly smart, she would not be recognized as a professional or expert in the field she's writing about. Second, her thesis has not really been published anywhere; it's simply available via the school's online thesis collection. This is far different than going through the process of and getting an academic paper accepted into a peer reviewed academic journal. Finally, credentialed professionals and recognized experts in the field of inmate rehabilitation are out there and are writing about this issue; they'd be far more reliable sources to consult.
ReplyDeleteI want to see you push yourself further with your credibility evaluations. For example, when you say that you think the information "is very accurate and well supported," how can you show your audience that? What examples from the source can you point to that validate your point? For every observation you make, you should provide some type of proof or explanation.
Remember to follow the instructions for each phase; this phase should have included a 2-4 sentence summary of the source.