The issue of currency is important when evaluating information, because when an article is published can impact the validity of that information. Although an article may be published in a very well-respected scholarly journal, if it was published in 1960, it may no longer be considered very accurate. Currency can be a very important issue in research.

Keep in mind, however, that for some types of information, currency is not an issue. For example, an article on current medical research or case law is more time-sensitive than an essay on Aristotle.