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Not all evidence is equally reliable. Always
keep an eye out for bias and deliberate deception and consider these
questions:
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Accuracy |
Does the information presented seem accurate? Are the facts
verifiable? |
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Authority |
Who is the author and/or publishing body? What is their expertise on this topic?
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Point of View/Bias |
What position or opinion is presented and does it seem
biased? Propaganda encourages you to think in a particular way.
Disinformation is intentional false
information. |
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Validity |
Does it make sense? Does the information seem reasonable? |
|
Context |
Can you recognize the cultural or other contextual environment (company, political party,
or university researchers for example) in which the
information was generated? Context impacts information and how you use and
interpret it. |
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Currency |
Timeliness or the date information was created makes a difference.
Check publication dates to find this. Consider your information need.
Do you need up-to-date statistics
or a current analysis? Do you need an historical text? |
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Use |
How do you intend to use this information? Your professor may require you to use current
research studies in writing your research paper. For a different class project
you may need art images or a video clip or population statistics from the 1850s. You want to match
the information and sources you find and use with your information need. |
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Poster WPA (Works Project Administration) Poster Collection, Library of Congress
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