Evaluating Sources: Evaluating Images

It is important to critically evaluate images you use for research, study, and presentations. Images should be evaluated like any other source, such as journal articles or books, to determine their quality, reliability, and appropriateness.

Images should be evaluated on several levels. Visual analysis is an important step in evaluating an image and understanding its meaning. It is also important to consider textual information provided with the image, the image source and original context of the image, and the technical quality of the image. Use the document below to help guide your analysis and evaluation of images.

National Archives document analysis worksheets:

• Photographs
• Cartoons
• Posters
• Maps
• All worksheets

Visual literacy resources:

• Visual Literacy White Paper
• Reading Images: an Introduction to Visual Literacy (UNC School of Education)
• Visual Literacy Activities (Oakland Museum of California)