FASM 430 - Professional Portfolio Practices: Evaluate Sources

Evaluate sources to ensure they're accurate, trustworthy, and appropriate for your research projects.

Official web presences for your selected company can be useful sources:

• Corporate website  -- find business facts, announcements, reports, etc.
• Web store -- analyze product offerings and how they are presented
• Social media - analyze how is the company engaging with its customers

However, be sure to review this information with a critical eye. Naturally companies want to present themselves as positively as possible, so will gloss over shortcomings or problems.

When reviewing company websites, consider:

• How factual is this information?
• What are the sources for their facts?
• Is the company legally obligated to provide this information?
• Who is the information intended for? (Customers, investors, etc.)
• What is the purpose or intent of this information? (To report, to advertise, etc.)
• What message is being conveyed?

External news articles and reports about your company can provide alternative viewpoints, which will help you develop a well-rounded analysis.

Courtesy of Wayne State University Library

Popular

• Audience: General
• Purpose: To entertain, sell products, or share news
• Format: Short and usually illustrated
• Sources: Quotes are usually attributed to the speaker, but few sources will be directly credited beyond this

Trade

• Audience: Professional
• Purpose: To keep professionals informed about news, trends, and practices in their field
• Format: Various article lengths with some industry jargon
• Sources: Quotes and sources are usually given attribution in-text, but are rarely cited separately

Scholarly

• Audience: Academic
• Purpose: To inform and advance scholarship
• Format: Longer format, often with field-specific language and limited illustrations
• Sources: Scholarly articles always cite their sources in footnotes and/or bibliographies