Research Guides: Engineering Design and Practice Sequence (EDPS): 4.5. Evaluation: Purpose

Purpose of the Information Source

It's important to understand a source's purpose as you consider its value for your project.

To determine the purpose of a source, ask yourself these questions:

Is the purpose of the information to inform, explain, persuade, convince, sell…?
Is it a balanced presentation of information?
If there is a particular point of view or bias, is it clear and obvious?
What type of audience is the author addressing? Is the publication aimed at a specialized or a general audience?
If there is a sponsor or the author is affiliated with a specific organization or entity, how does that affiliation relate to the content?

Information Categories

Knowing the purpose of the information is essential. Why the author has written about the topic and the nature of the information will help you determine if it will suit your needs.

Information sources can be categorized as:

Advocacy
Commercial
Reference / Information

See the table below for more information about each type of site.

Type	Purpose	Produced By	Description & Examples
Advocacy	Sway opinion	Organizations or individuals	Advocacy sources (including blogs) may provide a wealth of information, but it's important to understand that these postings, articles, reports and policy papers are intended to promote a particular viewpoint or reflect one person's opinion. Usually opposing viewpoints on these issues are not represented. Advocacy sites are most useful for understanding different points of view.
Commercial	Promote or sell products and services	Companies	Commercial sources may provide articles and other useful information to draw readers to their business. Commercial sources may also offer reviews of their own products. Will they be likely to tell both sides of the story, or should you look elsewhere for more balanced reviews?
Reference / Information	Provide access to useful information and services	Universities, government agencies, publishers, individuals, organizations	Because these sources are not designed to promote a specific viewpoint or product, they are more likely to offer a full range of information on a topic.