Source criticism (or information evaluation) is the process of evaluating the qualities of an information source, such as its validity, reliability, and relevance to the subject under investigation.
Gilbert J Garraghan divides source criticism into six inquiries:[1]
1.When was the source, written or unwritten, produced (date)?
2.Where was it produced (localization)?
3.By whom was it produced (authorship)?
4.From what pre-existing material was it produced (analysis)?
5.In what original form was it produced (integrity)?
6.What is the evidential value of its contents (credibility)?