Finding, Evaluating & Managing Sources | EE Source Evaluation Tracker

Finding, Evaluating & Managing Sources | Extended Essay Source Evaluation & Research Tracker | Grades 11–12

Finding sources is only the beginning. Students also need to determine which sources are credible, relevant, useful, and strong enough to support their Extended Essay. This no-prep lesson gives students a structured process for locating, evaluating, organizing, and managing sources as their research develops.
Students examine relevance, reliability, validity, perspective, and usefulness while distinguishing between primary and secondary sources and building a working source bank. They also learn why recording complete citation information during the research process is much easier—and more reliable—than trying to reconstruct it later.

What’s Included
- Teacher Directions
- Lesson Overview & Mini Research Questions
- 5-Step Group Activity
- Online Resources
- 3 Student Research & Source Evaluation Pages
- Color and B&W student versions

Why Teachers Love This
- Moves students beyond simply “finding sources” to evaluating their quality and usefulness
- Provides a practical system for building and managing a working source bank
- Helps students identify weaknesses, missing perspectives, and gaps in their research
- Reinforces citation tracking throughout the research process
- Encourages students to connect sources to their developing line of argument
- Prepares students for more productive conversations with their EE supervisor
- No prep and ready to use

Perfect For
- Extended Essay preparation
- IB Diploma Programme classrooms
- Source evaluation and credibility
- Primary and secondary source analysis
- Research organization and source tracking
- Academic research skills
- Supervisor meeting preparation

Rather than collecting sources simply to reach a certain number, students learn to ask a more important question: Does this source actually strengthen my research? By the end of the lesson, students have a more purposeful source bank, a clearer understanding of what their current evidence can support, and a plan for filling remaining research gaps.

Please Note: This independently created educational resource is not an official International Baccalaureate (IB) product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to the International Baccalaureate Organization.