Information Literacy Program

1
Emalus Campus

• Information Literacy Program
• Module 4
• Critically Evaluating
• Information Sources

2
Other ILP Modules
Emalus Campus

• Module 1 Resources available _at_ the Emalus
  Campus Library
• Module 2 Accessing the Library Website
  Using the Online Catalogue
• Module 3 Untangle the Web Finding
  Information on the Internet
• ?Module 4 Critically Evaluating Information
  Sources
• Module 5 Literature Search, Citing
  Sources the Bibliography
• Module 6 Searching ProQuest

3
Learning Objective
Emalus Campus

• to provide students with a set of criteria for
  evaluating information sources

4
Learning Outcomes
Emalus Campus

• At the end of this session, students should be
  able to
• understand the four criteria for evaluating
  information sources
• apply these four criteria when evaluating
  information sources

5
Why Evaluate Information
Emalus Campus

• every source of information incorporates the
  perspective or bias of its authors
• instead of automatically accepting information at
  face value, you should always critically evaluate
  information obtained from any source

6
Criteria to Evaluate Information
Emalus Campus

• CARS is an acronym to help you remember the five
  categories for evaluating information sources
• Credibility
• Accuracy
• Reasonableness
• Support
• Jowitt, Anita (2006) Legal Referencing.
  University of the South Pacific School of Law.
• http//law.usp.ac.fj/edison/resources/referencing.
  pdf

7
Credibility
Emalus Campus

• are the authors qualifications presented?
• does the author have expertise related to
• the topic?
• is the author affiliated with an educational
• institution or other reputable organisation
• Is the information checked by anyone else (e.g.
  peer-reviewed journals)

8
Accuracy
Emalus Campus

• What purpose has it been written for?
• Is the information sufficiently current for
• your purpose?
• Does it cover the right time period?
• Does it cover the right geographic area?
• Does the information appear to be complete
• Is the information still accurate regardless of
  the date?

9
Reasonableness
Emalus Campus

• Does the sources balance different perspectives
  on the issue
• (Is it free from overt bias?)
• Is the information presented fact or opinion?
• Does the source use emotive reasoning to for its
  argument
• Does the content make exaggerated claims which
  it does not support

10
Support
Emalus Campus

• Is supporting evidence provided?
• Is the information supported by footnotes or
  references?
• Can its accuracy be verified by independent
  sources?

11
Evaluating Websites
Emalus Campus

• Look at the URL
• Scan the top and bottom of the page to find
  author, organization, date last updated
• Look for indicators of quality
• Sources documented
• Bias
• Links to additional resources
• What do others say?

12
EvaluatingWebsites
Emalus Campus
13
Information Online is vulnerable to
Emalus Campus

• unauthorised changes
• updates this problem especially applies to
  conference / working papers online what you see
  today may not be what you access tomorrow

14
Final Advice on Evaluating Information
Emalus Campus

• read a wide range of sources
• do not automatically accept information
• check authors credentials and qualifications
• check for bias
• check for date of publication (currency)