Instruction: Evaluating Information Resources

This reading covers:

• criteria used to evaluate print and Internet information resources;
• differences between print and Internet resources;
• characteristics of scholarly vs. popular periodicals;
• and the scholarly publication cycle.

Evaluating information sources is a important part of the research process. Not all information is reliable or true, nor will all information be suitable for your paper or project. Print and Internet sources vary widely in their authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage. You, as the information consumer, must be able to critically evaluate the appropriateness of all types of information sources prior to relying on the information.

• The Internet has surpassed most libraries in the quantity of information it makes available. However, the Internet has not surpassed libraries in the overall quality of information it makes available.
   
• Historically, a main component of library collections has been print (paper) materials. Today, online resources are being added to supplement library collections, replace printed (paper) items, or improve access.
   
• Although online sources are accessible via the Internet, many originated in paper form and follow the same publication criteria.
   
• The quality of print and online information sources are similar, and will be considered the same in this discussion.
   
• We will look at a few characteristics of print and Internet sources and will identify major quality distinctions them.

• Quality standards of printed materials are controlled through a system of checks and balances imposed by peer review, editors, publishers, and librarians, all of whom manage and control access to printed information.
  
  This assures that published materials have been through some form of critical review and evaluation, preventing informal, poorly designed, difficult-to-use and otherwise problematic materials from getting into the hands of users.
   
• In academic and other research libraries, most books and periodicals are a product of the scholarly communication system. This system ensures that authors present information in an orderly and logical manner appropriate to the topic.
   
• Printed information in books and periodicals follows established linear formats for logical and effective organization.
   
• Materials in printed form are stable. Once in print, information remains fixed for all time. New editions and revisions often are published, but these are separate and distinct physical entities that can be placed side by side with the originals.

• On the web, anyone can, with no supervision or review at all, put up a web page.
   
• On the Web, there is no systematic monitoring of much of what appears, except, of course, for articles published in the online forms of otherwise reputable scholarly journals and books. Biases, hidden agendas, distorted perspectives, commercial promotions, inaccuracies, and so on are not monitored.
   
• There is no standard format for web sites and documents. Web pages exhibit fewer clues regarding their origins and authoritativeness than print sources. Important information, such as dates, author(s), and references are not always easy to locate.
  
  While a reader can easily note this information in a book or periodical article, the web user must often search through several pages, if the information is provided at all.
   
• Internet sources are not stable.
  
  Web pages can be changed easily. And once changed, the original is gone forever unless a specific effort is made to preserve it. In fact, many Web pages are intentionally designed to change as necessary, and with automatic changes as with manual changes, the original disappears.
   
• Web resources use hypertext links and need not be organized in any linear fashion. One can easily be led astray and distracted from the topic at hand. But, of course, one can also be led to additional information of value.
   
• The changing nature of the web and web pages create major problems with the stability of information and with links between different units of information. Dead or broken and links on the Web are common and others just disappear or are not updated.

For print sources, quality control is sought through critical evaluation during the publication process. However, on the web, anyone with access to the Internet can publish. Web pages are easy to create with little or no training.

There is no overriding organization or governing body ensuring the validity of web page content. There is a good deal of high-quality information on the web, but there is also much that is of questionable quality. Do not assume that information on the web is more current or accurate. Each web page needs to be examined critically.

It is the user's responsibility to evaluate information sources, in print and on the web, that they find during the research process before using it in a paper or presentation.

With this brief introduction to evaluating sources, we will use a list of five critical criteria: AAOCC (Authority, Accuracy, Objectivity, Currency, and Coverage). You can use this criteria to evaluate all information sources: books/eBook, journal articles, web pages, blogs, videos, sound recordings and social media posts.

Authority

Who is the author or creator (who is responsible for the intellectual content) and what are their credentials?

• Is there any indication of the author's education, other publications, professional affiliations or experience?
• Is there a note or paragraph describing the author's credentials?
• Is the author's e-mail address, postal address or phone number provided? 
• Has the author been cited in other bibliographies?
• Sometimes information about an author is available in sources other than the document at hand. Instructors assigning research topics might focus on a particular author. Many authors can be looked up in such resources as:
  • reference works (encyclopedias, almanacs, directories)
  • Wikipedia

For Web Sites

• Be sure to distinguish between the author of the information and, if separate, the person who posted it.
• In the case of Web material provided by committees, organizations, businesses, or government agencies (rather than individuals), similar questions concerning the authority of these bodies need to be asked. Be sure to consider whether information provided by corporate bodies is likely to be objective, factual and carefully researched or whether it is biased toward the particular objectives of those bodies or the causes, movements or agendas they support.
• Analysis of the URL sometimes provides an indication of identity of the web site sponsor.
• Look for an "about us" or "FAQ" (frequently asked questions) page.

Accuracy/Quality

• Is the information provided specific?
• For research on any topic dealing with things and events in the real world, accuracy is, obviously, of highest importance.
  Data and information must be based on observations, measurements, analyses, interpretations and conclusions. In the arts & humanities, where imagination is the primary creative force, accuracy is still important in recording names, dates and places from which creative works, ideas, and opinions originated.
• In all cases, all information should be verifiable. Are conclusions based on research or actual figures that can be checked in other sources?
• Are methods of scientific research explained in such a way that it could be reproduced?
• Are sources of information listed in foot/end notes, bibliographies, or lists of references? How reliable are the cited sources?
• Are critical reviews available (for books, films, literature, music, art)? Check databases such as:
  • Humanities Full-Text; Social Sciences Full-Text; MLA Bibliography; Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature
  • Academic Search Premier
  • Gale Literature Resource Center

For Web Sites

• High-quality writing, including good format, grammar, spelling and punctuation, can enhance the appearance of accuracy and bolster a reader's confidence in the accuracy and reliability of a Web page. It is easy however, to produce a website that appears "professional;" that's a good start, but not sufficient evidence to conclude that the information provided is accurate. Use the other criteria as well.

Objectivity

• Authors often have their own agendas, for example to sell products, influence legislation or capture converts. There probably is no absolute objectivity upon which everyone could agree. When using any information resource, you must decide whether the information is sufficiently objective for your purpose or whether it is biased. Of course a highly biased presentation can be included in scholarly research as long as that bias is described and weighed against alternative views or interpretations.
• Is there any advertising or solicitation for donations associated with the source? This  financial support may skew the subject coverage by the publication.
• Does the author provide more than one point of view?
• Does the writing use inflammatory or biased language?

Currency

• Currency is especially important in the sciences where new developments occur frequently.
• In the arts and humanities, currency needs to be judged as appropriate. In some cases, a study written years ago may be essential to understanding.
• Consider whether or not the timeliness of the information will affect its usefulness.
• In all cases, there should be some indication of the date of the material. If research results are given, consider not only the date of the publication but also when the research was actually conducted.

For Web Sites

• It is important for information found on the web to be up-to-date. 
• There should be some indication of the date of the material, as in the "last updated" statement at the end of many Web pages.
• Be aware that the "Last updated" date of the web page may differ from the date of the content. This may mean checking three dates, the date the page was last updated or posted to the web, the date of publication, and the date of the research or statistics used.
• Also, many web pages show today's date-- which may not be the date of last update.

Coverage

• Decide whether the information source adequately covers the topic. Documents may cover only part of the topic, and you may need more sources to have a more thorough understanding.
• Consider how coverage from one source compares with coverage by other sources.
• Look for a statement describing the purpose or coverage of the source and consider if the information is in-depth enough for your needs.
• Does the information source leave questions unanswered (ask the "five W's and H" to check: who, what, when, where, why and how)?

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