Evaluation of General Sources

I decided to examine a recent controversy in the field of mathematics, about the so-called "common core" of mathematical teaching. Some claim this method is totally useless, causing children grades to plummet and their love of learning to dissolve into frustrated tears. On the other hand, some say this method is back to the basics of mathematics and teaches largely the same concepts. This standard is a widely argued topic of debate, with many sources lobbying each side.

The first source I decided to use was from the New York Times called "Meet the New Common Core". The URL is simply a ".com", which doesn't necessarily imply it is factual or reliable, as most websites use this domain name. However, the writer of the article, Jordan Ellenberg, is a credible author as a professor of mathematics and the author of the book "How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking". These qualifications definitely add credibility to the source. The page was last updated on June 16th, 2015 so it is very current and relevant. Furthermore, the website itself is updated daily. The purpose of this source is to inform the reader on relevant news and present both sides of the story, which was definitely accomplished in this article, seeming very factual and unbiased. There is only one graphic, a stock photo of an abacus, which kind of relates to the topic, but really seems to just be a filler. The author's position seems to be mostly factual, but slightly leans towards the fact that this common core is very similar to other methods of teaching. However the source provides all viewpoints and gains nothing from one side being chosen above the other. The information can be verified many other places. The source does not suggest any other links or readings but does reference some studies and laws relevant to the topic.

The other source I decided to evaluate is from the Huffington Post titled "Wait, Tell Me Again What Common Core Is?". This source also is characterized by a ".com" ending, once again not saying much about the source. The author is Karin Chenowath, who has written many books on academic success and education, proving she is qualified to write this article. The article was last updated June 15, 2015 and the website is updated daily, proving to be relevant and current. Although the article was written to inform, it seems to be more persuasive that this common core is not as bad as people seem to say. The article has no graphics and seems to be pretty factual except for the authors slight tone of indifference. There are many links to other sources and articles on related topics for further readings.

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