Chapter 10

Evaluating information sources

Objectives
Why is it often difficult to evaluate information or information sources, even though I
know which criteria to apply?
How should I evaluate information and information sources?

Which steps should I follow to evaluate information and information sources?

Which criteria should I consider when I evaluate information or information sources?

Why should I evaluate information and information sources?

Under which circumstances should I evaluate information and information sources?

Why might it be difficult for me to use some information sources?

How can I take extra care when evaluating web and other internet information
sources?
Why do I need to develop evaluation competencies as a lifelong skill?
 Why is it often difficult to evaluate
information or information sources,
even though I know which criteria to
apply?
Let's
review
these
resources
News
article
Blogs
Journal
Which one
would you
use for an
assignment?
Blog Journal News
Which one
would you use
to inform
yourself about
F1?
Blog Journal News
How should I evaluate information
and information sources?
 Evaluating Information
Sources
•Although there is a slight difference in the criteria
used to evaluate traditional information, for
example, printed sources, and internet sources
such as websites, web pages and online journals,
there is also a considerable overlap.

•It takes time and effort to find and use information

sources. You need to make sure that you use the
best available information sources.
 Which steps should I follow to
evaluate information and information
sources?
The four main questions you need to ask
when you evaluate information
 Who is the intended audience of the information
source?
What is the level of presentation of the information
source?

In what language is the information source?

Is the What is the reading level of the information source?

source Is it a peer-reviewed information source?

suitable? How current is the information source?

Is it a key information source or from a key

researcher(s)?
Is the information source affiliated with an expert or
a professional organization?
Is the source
accurate?

Are there obvious

language errors?

Is it objective?

Does it contain
inaccurate facts?
Is the source credible?
Is it written by a Is it published
reputable by a reputable
author? publisher?
How extensive
is the reference How reliable are
list or the hyperlinks?
bibliography?
Is the source
useable?
Are there any hardware or software
requirements?
Are there subscription fees?
Is the website suitable for disabled
users?
Is the website stable?
Are the links in the website active?
 Questions to ask when initially assessing
an information resource
Does it provide a Does it cover all
How much
general overview, or
information, such as aspects of the topic
does it only deal in
depth and detail, is or problem or only
detail with a specific
included? some of them?
aspect?

Is the perspective
Does it cover the taken by the
Does it cover the
right geographical information source
right time period?
area? suitable for your
purpose?
Which criteria should I consider when
I evaluate information or information
sources?
Identify and assess the information sources

FULL-TEXT WEB
BOOK
ARTICLE PAGES
 Full-Text Article

Read the Scan the

Abstract Summary

Scan the C Scan the

Conclusion headings and
Sub-headings
 Book
Scan the table
of contents Headings,
subheadings,

Scan the
introduction &
conclusion Scan the index at
the back

Check the References

 Web pages
Consider the
title URL – Uniform
resource locator

Brief description
displayed
Make sure the
links work
Why should I evaluate information
and information sources?
 Why we need to evaluate information
and information sources

NEED TO ENSURE TAKES TIME AND SOMETIMES QUALITY OF THE SOURCES MUST
WE USE EFFORT TO FIND COSTS INVOLVED INFORMATION MEET ACADEMIC
ACADEMICALLY SOURCES. (SEARCH AND REQUIREMENTS.
APPROPRIATE THROUGH THE INFORMATION
INFORMATION LIBRARY) SOURCES WILL
AND INFLUENCE YOUR
INFORMATION MARKS.
SOURCES.
 How can I take extra care when
evaluating web and other internet
information sources?
Uniform Resource
Locator (URL) reveals

The URL reveals useful information about an

electronic document, including; name of the
owner, nature of the organisation, and the
document or webpage.
It is easy for anyone to publish on the web, so
you need to be able to analyse the URL of an
internet information source to get an indication
of what to expect in terms of quality before you
go to the trouble of accessing the site.
Example

http://www.acm.org/membership/acm-at-a-glance

Protocol Server domain Path Resource name

http:// www.acm.org/ membership/ acm-at-a-glance

MOST COMMON GENERIC CODES IN
DOMAIN NAMES

Generic Code Nature of site

.gov Government site
.com or .co Commercial site
.edu or .ac Educational site
.net Network site
.org Organisation site
.mil Military
.mobi Mobile site
Consider whether you will use the following
URL

http://www.ohiou.edu/esl/help/plagiarism.html

Yes, if you are looking for guidelines on how one

can ensure that students avoid plagiarism. BUT it
is not a peer-reviewed document, and that
accuracy and quality are not guaranteed.
Evaluating information from social media

Verifying
Situation
information
(academic)
(reliable)

Differing opinions
Common Sense
(subjectivity/
(right/wrong)
objectivity)
Summary
Evaluation of information is an ongoing process.
Once you have used the information, for example,
in your assignment, or decided on your choice for
accommodation, you need to evaluate again
whether you have used the information
appropriately. You also need to check whether your
problem was solved, or your original information
need addressed.
In this chapter, you covered the importance of
evaluating the information sources you intend to
use and the information in these sources. You learnt
about the steps and criteria for evaluating
information and information sources. You looked at
the suitability, accuracy, credibility and usefulness of
information and learnt how to analyse URLs as an
important indication of the quality of websites.