What questions do we ask ourselves about information, before we decide to use it in our own work, or share it with others? What criteria or standards will you use to decide if an article, book, website or other information source is trustworthy, credible & relevant to your work? There are several approaches to evaluating sources.
Please watch the videos in this section & read through the criteria/questions listed.
Then take Quiz 3: Evaluate Information
How do we know which information sources are credible? What qualities should we look for in sources & what are some red flags of problematic sources? What question should we ask about a resource to determine its credibility and usefulness?
Video by OkStateLibrary
Stanford University Libraries. "How to evaluate sources."
When we find information, in order to decide if it is trustworthy, credible & relevant, we need to ask ourselves questions about the information we find.
We are not just consumers of information but producers of information, and we have a social responsibility to ensure the information that we are using, creating and sharing is accurate, credible & relevant.
Below are the questions you might ask yourself about information sources. The questions below were drawn from several different sources including CRAAP, ACTUP and evaluating using the 5 W.
Questions to Ask About the Sources |
Clarification/Tips
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WHO created the source |
If you are unsure of the credentials of the author, Google them to see what you can find out about them. Look for a link such as “About”, “About Us”, or "Who We Are" to find a description and background of the organization, publication or site, including its purpose, history and who are its leaders. |
WHAT is the purpose of the source? |
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WHERE does the information come from? |
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WHEN was the source published? |
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WHY is this source useful to you? |
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BIAS - Can you identify BIAS in the source? If so, how does that impact the usability of the information you have found? |
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PRIVILEGE - Are there MISSING VOICES from the source? |
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Please read/skim these 3 articles before answering the quiz questions
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