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Choosing & Evaluating Your Information Sources

Why it matters for nurses: The sources you use for your information matter. This page will show you how to spot reliable information and match the right source to your question — just like choosing the right tool in patient care.


Other library guides in the NURS 1111 series:

1. Start with your question

Different questions call for different kinds of sources.

  • Background questions (basic facts, definitions) → textbooks, reference works
  • Research questions (testing or comparing) → scholarly journal articles
  • Practice questions (standards, policies, “how to”) → trade journals, professional association websites
  • Public opinion questions (current events, media coverage) → newspapers, news sites

Click a situation below to see the best sources to use.

Use news sources (newspapers, online news).

Examples: Calgary Herald, Lethbridge Herald, CBC News
Use scholarly (peer-reviewed) journal articles.

Examples: Journal of Advanced Nursing, International Journal of Nursing Studies
Use professional association websites.

Examples: College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA), Canadian Nurses Association (CNA)
Use government or NGO websites that publish data and reports.

Examples: Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey, Nursing in Canada, 2019 (Canadian Institute for Health Information)

Adapted from Celia Brinkerhoff, Doing Research, CC-BY-4.0

2. Know your source types

Not all sources are equal. Each type has strengths and weaknesses. Knowing them helps you decide if the source fits your assignment.

Media Sources (Newspapers, Magazines, TV)

Strengths

  • Good for current events and local news.
  • Shows public opinion and how issues are portrayed.

Weaknesses

  • Usually no references.
  • Authors may not be experts; health research can be misinterpreted. Example: neck gaiter story in Scientific American.
  • Often written to entertain or persuade.

Search tips


Trade Journals or Magazines (e.g., Alberta RN, Canadian Nurse)

Strengths

  • Nursing issues; magazine style (short, less formal).

Weaknesses

  • Not always written by experts; some freelance content.
  • Usually not peer-reviewed.

Search tips


Government & Professional Association Sources

Strengths

  • Guidelines, policies, and statistics.
  • Controlled/official information (not peer-reviewed).

Weaknesses

Search tips

  • Limit to Canadian federal gov’t with site:gc.ca (e.g., “food guide” site:gc.ca).

Scholarly Articles

Strengths

  • Report new research findings.
  • Written and peer-reviewed by experts.
  • Include references so you can assess evidence quality.

Weaknesses

  • Written for experts; allow extra time and look up terms.
  • Not freely available to the public (patients may lack access).
  • Slower to publish; may miss very recent events.

Search tips


Books (e.g., Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing)

Strengths

  • In-depth coverage and foundational knowledge.
  • Many are expert-authored and cite sources (e.g., textbooks).

Weaknesses

  • Slower to publish; may be less current.
  • Not all are scholarly or well-cited.

Tips for finding books

  • Check author credentials and references. Use LibrarySearch for print and e-books.

3. Check for credibility

Is this source reliable?

  • 👤 Who wrote it?
  • 🏢 Where was it published?
  • 📅 When was it published?
  • ⚖️ Is there bias?
  • 📑 Are there references?

Why it matters: Credible = trustworthy. Using credible sources strengthens your assignments and shows you are a trustworthy writer (and future nurse).


Video explainer:  What makes a source “credible” and why credibility matters for your assignments.


Questions to evaluate a source

Why it matters: Credible = trustworthy. Using credible sources strengthens your work and shows you are a trustworthy writer (and future nurse).

4. Use lateral reading

Instead of just scrolling down one page, open new tabs and see what others say.

  • Example: You read an article about a new diet trend. Before sharing it, check CBC News Health or a peer-reviewed journal.
  • Nursing analogy: Just like you’d check multiple chart notes, not just one.

Watch this short video from Galvin Library to see lateral reading in action. 

Example: You read an article about a new diet trend claiming to prevent diabetes. Before sharing it, open another tab and check what CBC News Health  or a peer review journal article says about it. This way you confirm the facts, see other perspectives, and understand the nuance.

Why is it called “lateral” reading? Most of us read a webpage vertically, just scrolling down to see what’s on that one page.
Lateral reading means you open new tabs and look sideways across the internet to see what other people say about the source.
It’s like checking reviews before you believe what a single website tells you.

5. Watch out for pitfalls

Even credible-looking sources can mislead.

  • ⚠️ Media may lack context or references.
  • ⚠️ Trade magazines may not be peer-reviewed.
  • ⚠️ Government policies can clash with professional consensus.
  • ⚠️ Fake news and AI-generated images are designed to trick.

This infographic offers questions you can ask yourself to check whether a source is trustworthy. These ideas apply to any kind of source, not just avoiding fake news.

Infographic listing questions to ask when checking if a source is reliable, such as: who wrote it, is it a joke, is it a reliable source, and can you find the same information elsewhere.

Source: International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), 2017. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.


How do I select relevant web or online resources?

A short tutorial from Concordia Library showing how to assess websites found through Google searches. Using examples like government pages, organizational reports, and news articles, it explains why these are not considered scholarly sources and when they may or may not be appropriate for assignments.

Associate Professor, Library

Profile Photo
Francine May
Contact:
Associate Dean, Research
fmay@mtroyal.ca
She/Her/Elle
Website
Subjects: Midwifery, Nursing

Quick tips

⚡ Quick Tips

  • 📚 Match source – book, article, or site.
  • Check credibility – author, date, bias.
  • 🔎 Read sideways – open tabs to confirm.
  • 🎯 Fit to task – pick sources that answer your question.
  • 🩺 Nursing lens – apply evidence you can trust in practice.