Critical Evaluation of Sources

Using reviewed sources, comparing the information you find in one source to other sources on the same topic, and corroborating information are three useful strategies for ensuring the quality of your information. Below are some questions that can guide you through the process of thinking critically about the information source you are considering using (whether they come from print or electronic sources).

1. Write down your topic Comparative Approach of the English Vowel System with the Romanian Vowel System 2. Please give author and title of source and publication information (place of publication, publishing house, and year). R. Lass, Phonology-An Introduction to Basic Concepts, Department of Linguistics, University of Cape Town, Cambridge University Press, USA, 1998 Arden R. Thorum, Phonetics: A Contemporary Approach, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, USA, 2012 3. Answer the following questions for two of your sources:
A. Authority: Who is the author?

R. Lass, Phonology-An Introduction to Basic Concepts, Department of Linguistics, University of Cape Town, Cambridge University Press, USA, 1998 Arden R. Thorum, Phonetics: A Contemporary Approach, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, USA, 2012 1. Roger Lass is Professor Emeritus of Linguistics and Honorary Research Associate in English at the University of Cape Town and he is the author of numerous books and studies in Old English and English Phonology. 2. Arden R. Thorum is Emeriti Professor of Communicative Disorders in The Department of Human Communication of California State University in Fullerton. He is also an outstanding researcher in special education.

What are the authors credentials?

Who is the publisher? 1. The publisher is Cambridge University Press which is the publisher business of University of Cambridge and it dates from 1534. 2. The publisher is Jones & Bartlett Learning is a division of Ascent Learning and it is a privately-held educational service. B. Objectivity: What is the purpose/goal of the author? (to inform, explain, educate, advocate, persuade, etc.)

1. The purpose of the author is first of all to inform and educate. He then explains in his
book basic concepts of phonetics. What I am interested in from this book is the structure of vowels and the vocalic processes which Roger Lass discusses in his book.

2. The purpose of the author is to inform and most of all to educate. He offers a reach
information for students in studying English Phonetics. He explains the English Vowel System and the Vocalic Groups by means of diagrams and concrete examples. Does the information appear to be valid and well-researched? (are arguments and conclusions supported by evidence that is verifiable, are opposing points of view addressed, etc.?)

1. The information of the book seems to be valid and well-researched because the author
has a list of Work Cited and he states strong arguments in developing his concepts and the conclusions are well-organised. 2. The information of the book is well-researched, the arguments and conclusions are supported by examples and researches that are verifiable, he also uses a variety of diagrams and tables to illustrate and to strengthen the content of his argument. What types of sources are cited? (Check whether your source has a Works Cited, reference list, or a bibliography)

1. Roger Lass has a list of Work Cited and a Bibliography List, he uses a number of
research articles and different kind of books. 2. Arden R. Thorum uses a Work Cited List and a Bibliography List. C. Quality: How is the information organized? Is the source (print or electronic) user friendly?

1. The information of the source is well-organized, it deals with the phonetic concepts in a
way that is explicit to everyone who wants to understand English Phonetics better. The source is a print one. 2. The book is a print source but I also found it in an electronic user friendly format. The information of the book is organized in chapters and subchapters, it contains many diagrams and structures, a series of strong and clear examples. D. Currency: When was the source published? Is the date important for your topic? Why or why not?

1. The book was first published in 1998. The date is not really relevant for my topic because
the theoretical concepts that I am using in my diploma paper are the same nowadays.

2. The source was first published in 2012. The date is relevant for my topic because it deals
with the phonetic chances in the vowel system but he uses the basic theoretical concepts and diagrams that have not changed so far. E. Relevance: Why is this source relevant/appropriate for your topic? What pieces of information can you use from this source?

This source is relevant for my topic because I am only using two sub-chapters that refer to the vocalic system of English, R. Lass presents the structure of the vocalic system in a structural way and I found this information useful in writing the first chapter of my diploma paper. The source is relevant for my topic because the author presents the information in a clear way and he gives suitable examples for every argument he makes. I am using four chapters from this book one that refers to the long vowels of English, Diphthongs and The Characteristics of the Short Vowels, so I could say it is a referential source.