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PADstone 184

Research guide for students completing the FYE or PADstone 184 course.

Evaluating Sources Using the CCOW Method

CCOW: credentials, claims, objectives, worldview

The CCOW method can be used to evaluate any source for appropriateness. Below is an overview on how to apply the method, see the guide for more detail.

Credentials - Investigate the credentials of whoever created the information with questions like:

  • Do they have experience or expertise in the subject they're discussing? Do they work in a field that qualifies them to talk about the subject?
  • What's their educational background? Do they have an advanced degree in the subject under discussion?
  • Do they have any other experience that might make them a good source of information? For instance, an eyewitness to an earthquake doesn't have to be a seismologist to give good information about what it was like to experience that event.

Claims - What claims are they making? Is the information they're providing accurate? Can we verify its accuracy?

Objectives - What did they hope to accomplish by creating the information?

Worldview - How might your view on this topic influence your approach? How could your perspective influence how you interpret a topic?

Evaluation Example

Evaluate the following article using the CCOW Method:

Kamenetz, A. (2016, November 2). How college friendships may affect student success. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/11/02/499351266/how-college-friendships-may-affect-student-success

1. What conclusions can you draw about the article?

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End of Session

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End of Session Survey