The RADAR Framework can help you remember what kinds of questions you should be asking about an information source as you evaluate it for quality and usefulness in your research.
Relevance
How is the information you have found relevant to your assignment?
Does the information answer our research question?
Authority
Who is the author/ publisher/ source?
What are the author's credentials?
Is the author affiliated to an academic institution or reputable organization?
Date
When was the information published?
Has the information be revised or updated?
Is the publication date important to you?
Does your research requite timely sources?
Accuracy
Where does the information come from?
Is the information supported by evidence or peer reviews?
Is the information presented in a professional or academic manner? Free of spelling or grammatical errors?
Does it have citations and references?
Rationale
Why did the author publish the information?
What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?
Links to many of the Library of Congress educational resources including teacher's guides, lesson plans, and high-quality digitized materials. In addition to primary source sets, themed resources, and collection connections, the Library of Congress also provides professional development tools for teachers here.
Presented by the Discovery Channel, this resource offers hundreds lesson plans for elementary, middle and high school students developed by teachers. The lesson plans are written by teachers for teachers. Browse this resource by grade or by subject.
Smithsonian lesson plans emphasize inquiry-based learning using primary sources and museum collections. Each plan is printer-friendly and provides you with all the materials you need: photographs, reproductions, handouts, activities, suggested strategies, standards information, and additional online resources.
Provides lesson plans and multimedia resources (documents, images, video, audio, and interactive presentations) for K-12 teachers. Content is produced by PBS and WGBH Boston.
Annenberg Learner uses media and telecommunications to advance excellent teaching in American schools. This mandate is carried out chiefly by the funding and broad distribution of educational video programs with coordinated Web and print materials for the professional development of K-12 teachers. It is part of The Annenberg Foundation and advances the Foundation's goal of encouraging the development of more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge.
Practice guides provide practical recommendations for educators to help them address the everyday challenges they face in their classrooms and schools. Recommendations, strategies for overcoming potential roadblocks, and an indication of the strength of evidence supporting each recommendation. Links are included to additional research based materials.