7.6.6: Consider Currency
- Page ID
- 140729
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To evaluate the currency of your information source, you will first need to know the requirements of your assignment. You may be able to use older sources, or you may need to look for current information. Currency is also somewhat discipline or topic dependent; research in history or literature may involve using sources older than 10 years but in the sciences and technology, up-to-date information can be extremely important.
And sometimes, our research may involve examining a change in thinking or perspective over time, in which case you may need a variety of sources spanning a certain period.
Learn to ask the following kinds of questions:
- What is the publication or copyright date?
- Is it a reprint of a previous work? a new edition or revision?
- Is there newer information available on the topic?
- How might ideas and perspectives have changed since the work was published?
ACTIVITY: Decide Whether the Following Sources are Current Enough for the Topic
Chose the correct answer. Click the arrow to answer all 3 questions.
For a research assignment on the effects of fracking on groundwater contamination, is the above article current enough?
- Yes, it is within 20 years old so it should be fine.
- No, it is too old.
- Answer
-
No, it is too old. (The article is too dated for this topic.)
For a research paper on the early experiences of Canadian fiction writers, is the above book current enough?
- Yes.
- No, it's too dated.
- Answer
-
Yes. (This book contains interviews with Canadian writers and could be useful for a research assignment that might require some comments from or biographical information about authors. Currency, in this case, might not be as important as other criteria.)
Would the above edition of the APA Publication Manual be current enough for checking how to cite an eBook for your psychology paper?
- Yes.
- No.
- Answer
-
No. (The most recent update to the APA Publication Manual was published in October 2019. This will be the 7th edition.)