How old should my sources be?

Answer

This depends on the topic. When writing a medical, scientific, or technology based paper, your sources should optimally be between 3 and 5 years old. When considering the age of the information in a source, ask yourself the following: 

  • Is this information still relevant or could there be more current information available?
  • Are you writing about literature, humanities, or history?
  • What is my instructor looking for? 

Determining whether a source is outdated for your information need is part of evaluating the currency of sources.

 

Find Out More

 

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  • Last Updated Jul 13, 2023
  • Views 39
  • Answered By Nora Rackley

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