Ultimately, both the product and the process must be evaluated. Unless the product is evaluated thoroughly, it is difficult to know whether or not the process has really come to an end; that is, if the goal of the project was not reached, it may be necessary to go back and repeat one or more of the steps above to bring the project to a satisfactory conclusion.
Evaluation of the Product
Consider the following when evaluating your product from an information standpoint:
- Did the product answer the question it set out to answer?
- Were the requirements of the product met? Is it as long as it needs to be? In the proper format? Does it have the proper number and type of sources, etc.?
- Was gathered information used appropriately? Did I plagiarize? Did I document properly?
- Was the source material restructured/repackaged, or merely copied? Is this an original work, expressed in my own words, even though it may draw ideas from the works of others?
Evaluation of the Process
Evaluate the process of your search for, and use of, information by asking yourself the following:
- Which steps in the model did I have the most difficulty completing?
- How well did I select and narrow the topic?
- Was I able to find a wide variety of sources?
- Was I able to find quality sources?
- What can I do better on my next search?
