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LIR10: EVALUATING
Information Sources
LIR10: EVALUATING
Why is evaluation so necessary?
Huge quantity of information to sift through (Information Explosion)
Unregulated publishing of information particularly on the Internet
Large number of biased or less-than-objective information sources
LIR10: EVALUATING
How can critical evaluation help your research project? Evaluation allows you to:
Pinpoint sources that are reliable and suitable for your research project
Use specific criteria for judging accuracy and quality
Detect indicators of questionable information sources Demonstrate the thoroughness of your research to
your readers
LIR10: EVALUATING
Where to start an evaluation Do a quick assessment of a source from the basic
citation Look at the written description of your source:
• Author
• Title • Publication Information
Decide if the source works for your research needs • Author: Is this author a respected authority or someone you
recognize earlier research? • Title: Does it appear to be an overview or in-depth • Publication information: is it scholarly or popular?
LIR10: EVALUATING
Citation assessment: #1
LIR10: EVALUATING
Citation assessment: #2
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LIR10: EVALUATING
Citation assessment: #3
LIR10: EVALUATING
General Evaluation Criteria for all Sources S T A R T SCOPE/COVERAGE/PURPOSE
= Range and level of detail TREATMENT/RELIABILITY/QUALITY
= Trustworthiness and accuracy AUTHORITY
= Author's background or experience RELEVANCE
= Appropriate content for your research
TIMELINESS/CURRENCY = Relevance of the publication date
LIR10: EVALUATING
How to evaluate SCOPE Important aspects to consider:
Intended audience (scholars, public)
Level of the information (advanced, basic)
Information coverage (in-depth, general) Specialized/technical language (understandable or not?) Focus on a particular time period, geographic region,
group of people What was the author’s purpose? Primary or secondary source Does the source contribute new information to your
existing research? LIR10: EVALUATING
LIR10: EVALUATING
How to evaluate TREATMENT Consider the following:
Valid and well-researched information (based on what you already know)
Information comparable to facts from other sources
Verifiable facts through footnotes or references Clearly-presented charts, diagrams, statistical data Complete work or an excerpt Are you confident that this is high-quality information? Grammatically-correct and error-free writing? Objective or biased? Does the author have a goal?
LIR10: EVALUATING
How to evaluate AUTHORITY You should check for the following: Author’s background, experience and expertise
Author’s affiliation (respected organization or university?)
Previously published material in scholarly journals Author listed in a reputable biographical source
(Who’s Who) Reputable publisher (University Press, Journal) Revised or later edition of a book
http://www.google.com "Jennifer Decesaro" biography
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LIR10: EVALUATING
How to evaluate RELEVANCE Is the information relevant for your current research
project?
Is it too general, narrow or off-topic?
Does it work for the level of research information you need (scholarly vs. popular)
LIR10: EVALUATING
How to evaluate TIMELINESS Find the date the information was created, published,
compiled
Look for evidence of regularly updates
Ask whether currency is important to the subject matter (e.g. scientific research may require up-to-date information)
Decide if the information is current or out-of-date for your topic
See if more recent information is available
LIR10: EVALUATING LIR10: EVALUATING
Web Sites Some additional concerns…
LIR10: EVALUATING
Why do web sites need special attention? Anyone can publish a web page There is a huge quantity of information on the Internet
(Example: in 1998 study): • 83% contains commercial content • 6% contains scientific or educational content • 2.8% contains health content • 1.2% contains government content • Etc.
The quality of information is varied • Large amount of inaccurate, obsolete or biased information
LIR10: EVALUATING
How to Check AUTHORITY
Look for the name of the author/site owner on the page
Look for contact information on the page (e-mail, address, phone number)
Check the ABOUT page (if there is one)
Look up the author in a biographical source or Google http://www.globalissues.org/issue/178/climate-
change-and-global-warming http://www.global-warming-and-the-climate.com/
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LIR10: EVALUATING
How to Check AUTHORITY Check who registered the site: (http://
betterwhois.com) Interpret the site’s URL
http://www.amazon.com/ http://www.santarosa.edu/ http://www.americanheart.org/ http://www.fda.gov/
Find out if reputable sites link to this site
Look for the site in a reputable subject directory http://www.ipl.org
LIR10: EVALUATING
How to evaluate BIAS Look for the following: A particular bias or slant
Evidence of inflammatory or subjective language
Distorted facts (based on research you’ve done so far) Missing facts or data Overstressed points or ideas Author affiliation with an organization known for a
certain point of view
http://suppressednews.com/
LIR10: EVALUATING
Web Site Evaluation Let’s evaluate two sites:
Go to: http://www.santarosa.edu/~kthornle/10thurs/LIR10_Week4Activity.html http://www.cok.net/lit/madcow.php
http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/mad-cow-disease-in-cattle-and-human-beings/1
• Scope/Coverage • Treatment/reliability • Authority
• Relevance • Timeliness/Currency • Bias
LIR10: EVALUATING
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