All information should be evaluated. This page gives tips on how to evaluate what you read.
Books, magazines, and journals usually, but not always, have editors and fact checkers. Web sites often don't have either. Whatever your source, it never hurts to consider the reliability of any source you use.
Below are a few things to evaluate when looking at a source, to decide if it is credible.
The Author. Does the author have credibility? Are they an expert, a scholar, a researcher in the field? Look for relevant degrees - an MD degree if the field is medicine, for example - and for information about the number of years they've worked in this area.
Accuracy. Does it agree with the other information you've read on the subject? Does the author cite their sources? (Citations are important, if they do not cite their sources be very cautious about using the resource.)
The Date of the Material. When was the book or article published? When was the web site last updated? Some areas change very quickly. Books on the state of the stock market become outdated very quickly. Books on history or etiquette usually take longer to become outdated. Consider how long it takes information to become outdated in the field.
The Publisher. Who is responsible for publishing the material, or the web site? Why does the site exist? Is it set up by a company to sell a product or by an organization to inform the public?
The Appearance of the Material. Is the book, article, or web site professionally presented? Is it free of spelling errors and obvious errors in fact? Professional appearance is not always a sign of credibility, but if the author has not taken the time to check for spelling or other errors, then it is possible that they have not checked or updated their facts, too.
Techniques for Evaluating Resources:
No matter how good the database you search in is, or how reliable an information website has been in the past, you need to evaluate the sources you want to use for credibility and bias before you use them. (You may also want to spot fake news as you do your research - not all fake news is online).
This section describes eight different tools for evaluating sources (there are so many different tools because evaluating the reliability or quality of information is an important topic, because there are many ways to look at the topic, and every librarian wants to help you succeed). Look through these approaches and use the approaches or combinations of approaches that work for you. The tools are:
We also have a variety of videos about evaluating sources available for your learning and entertainment: Click Here!
Want More Information?
For other issues to consider, visit SKILL at Skagit Valley Community College, https://lor.instructure.com/resources/2bce7496a5474219b090bf5381f00151, and work your way through Module 4 on Evaluating.