Transcript Critically Evaluating Information

Critically Evaluating Information
Objective: Students will be able to
critically evaluate a source of information.
Information Overload
Information is all around us. We see and hear
new information every day from a variety of
sources: television, radio, books, billboards,
newspapers, magazines, and websites.
Critical Questions
Since there is so much information to sort
through, there are two critical questions that
we must ask about the information we
encounter, especially when doing research.
1) Is it relevant for your information need?
2) If so, how credible is it?
Relevancy
Assessing relevancy is the first step in
determining whether or not the new
information is valuable to you. If it's not
applicable for your information need, there is
no reason to evaluate it further.
Further Evaluation
If the information is relevant, you need to look
at other evaluation criteria to examine its
quality. To do so, you can use something
called the “C.R.A.A.P. Test.”
CRAAP Test
C.R.A.A.P. is an easy device, or mnemonic, to help
you remember the following evaluation criteria:
C - Currency
R - Relevancy (yes, we already discussed this one)
A - Accuracy
A - Authority
P - Purpose
Currency
When was it written and/or updated?
If you need current information, checking the date of
the source is very important. On the other hand,
sometimes older information works fine for certain
topics.
Example: A current source is crucial if your
research deals with the newest research on
advances in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Example: An older source might be helpful
if you are researching the history of the
Motion Picture Association of America film
rating system.
Currency (Dates)
• Dates --found on the website:
– Date created
– Placed on the website,
– Last revised or updated
Examples:
Last Updated (Aug 15, 2007 at
04:57 PM)
© 1996-2007 National Geographic Society
Currency
• Current or relevant
for site’s purpose
When would this map be
relevant for a website?
When would it not be
relevant?
Relevancy
Why is this information useful to me?
As we already discussed, relevancy is important
because it is the first step in determining whether
the information you find is pertinent or what you are
really looking for.
Example: A source detailing the link between
alcoholism and divorce may not be relevant if
you are looking for information on the reasons
people drink.
Accuracy
Where does this information come from?
Are there additional resources cited?
Accuracy is important because you need correct
information to make good decisions. Also, if you
present inaccurate information, others may question
your own credibility.
Accuracy (Bias)
• Sources—stated
and cited
• Information is
verifiable—
compare to other
sources
Authority
Who wrote this site? Is he/she an expert?
Authority refers to reviewing an author’s credentials.
You need to determine whether the person
presenting the information has the knowledge and
background to be a good source.
Example: If you are writing a paper on the
health risks of tattoos and body piercings, a
doctor would have more authority than a
website provided by a professional tattoo artist.
Authority (Author)
• Identified
• Occupation, position,
education, experience,
and credentials
are listed
Authority(Author)
• Contact information
– Phone number or fax
– Address
– Email address
Purpose
Why was this site/information written?
You need to carefully examine
the purpose or bias of the
information presented.
Is it trying to:
•Entertain?
•Educate?
•Sell you a product?
•Sway you to a particular
point of view?
Even if a source portrays a
particular viewpoint, it may
still be valid. But, you must
be able to recognize the
bias, even if it is adequately
supported.
Example: If you looking for a website
containing information on identity
theft, keep in mind that some of the
pages found might be trying to sell
you identity theft protection.
Purpose(Bias)
• Site’s purpose--inform, explain, and/or
persuade
• Point of view--explicit
Purpose(Bias)
• Specific organization, institution, or
association
• More than one point of view
Purpose (Site Address [URL])
• Domain name-what comes after
the dot “.”
–.edu
–.gov
–.net
– .org
–.com
Common URLs:
• .edu—educational
http://www.usu.edu/
• .gov—government
http://www.nps.gov/
URLs for organizations:
• .net
http://www.barackobama.net/
• .org
http://www.cancer.org
Commercial URLs:
• .com
http://www.amazon.com
• .net
http://www.redcanyon.net
Purpose (Site Address [URL])
 % and ~ indicate personal sites
 Backtrack URL to the homepage
 Click on page header
Hits for “Anasazi”
www.co.blm.gov/ahc/anasazi.htm
www.desertusa.com/ind1/du_peo_ana.html
www.santafe.edu/~johnson/articles.anasazi.html
Summing Up
When encountering ANY type of information,
it is important to evaluate its quality. To
perform this evaluation, use the C.R.A.A.P.
mnemonic device.
• Currency
• Relevancy
• Accuracy
• Authority
• Purpose