Purpose and coverage

Consider whether the information fulfils your information need and covers what you need to know.

Some questions you can ask to help you determine this include:

• What is the aim of the item?
  - to educate, inform or persuade
  
  
• Who is the intended audience?
  - the general public, a professional, a scholar or a practitioner
  
  
• Is it appropriate to your information need?
  - too basic, too complex, too practical, too theoretical
  
  
• Is the source of information appropriate to the requirements of your assignment?
  - have you been asked to find a particular type of information e.g. a journal article
  
  
• Does it have geographical and/or ethnocentric limitations?
  - e.g. is it an Australian publication discussing only Australian issues?

Currency and timeliness