Source evaluation for the internet
Thanks to our information specialist Mrs. Daly for this guide and checklist!
Becoming a Source Specialist
Finding information is a piece of the research process. Finding “good” information is another piece, and an extremely important one. Your job - collecting evidence to support your theory - will be successful only if you gather facts that convince others that your theory is valid. Good information is credible (from an “expert” on the topic), accurate (matches information that you know or find in other sources), reasonable (makes sense), and supported (information is backed up by other facts, studies, etc.).
Your mission is to find GOOD information to support your theory, while keeping an eye out for BAD information. You probably do this already on an instinctive level, but we are pulling your decisions out of the realm of “feeling” into the realm of “thinking”. Why? So you can become a source specialist, a researcher who knows what information s/he needs and can defend every one of his/her information choices.
How will you prove your information is valid? Use the Source Specialist Guide below to think about your source:
Source Specialist Guide
Think About Content.
1. Does the site cover the topic comprehensively?
2. Can you understand what is being said? Is it written above or below your level of understanding?
3. What is unique about the site? Does it offer something others do not?
4. Are there links to other sites about the topic?
5. Does it give the date the information was created? The date the material was last revised?
6. Would you get better information in a book? An encyclopedia?
Think About Design.
1. Is the site user friendly?
2. Is there a well-labeled table of contents?
3. Do all the design elements (graphics, art, buttons, etc.) enhance the message of the site?
4. Are there any errors in spelling or grammar?
5. Do the pages appear to be clean and uncluttered?
6. Do the links on this site work?
Think About Intention.
1. Why was this site created? (to persuade, to educate) Is it a commercial (.com), government (.gov), academic (.edu), or non-profit Web site (.org)?
2. Is there any bias? Is only one side of the argument presented? Is it trying to persuade you to change your opinion?
3. Can you tell the facts from opinions?
Think About Credibility
1. Who is responsible for this site?
2. What are his or her credentials?
3. Have the authors documented their own sources?
4. What is the domain name? Does it end in .com, .gov, .edu, .org, or .net?
5. Who else links to the site? You can perform a link check in Google by entering "link:webaddress" in the search box. Is it linked to other reliable sites?
Finding information is a piece of the research process. Finding “good” information is another piece, and an extremely important one. Your job - collecting evidence to support your theory - will be successful only if you gather facts that convince others that your theory is valid. Good information is credible (from an “expert” on the topic), accurate (matches information that you know or find in other sources), reasonable (makes sense), and supported (information is backed up by other facts, studies, etc.).
Your mission is to find GOOD information to support your theory, while keeping an eye out for BAD information. You probably do this already on an instinctive level, but we are pulling your decisions out of the realm of “feeling” into the realm of “thinking”. Why? So you can become a source specialist, a researcher who knows what information s/he needs and can defend every one of his/her information choices.
How will you prove your information is valid? Use the Source Specialist Guide below to think about your source:
Source Specialist Guide
Think About Content.
1. Does the site cover the topic comprehensively?
2. Can you understand what is being said? Is it written above or below your level of understanding?
3. What is unique about the site? Does it offer something others do not?
4. Are there links to other sites about the topic?
5. Does it give the date the information was created? The date the material was last revised?
6. Would you get better information in a book? An encyclopedia?
Think About Design.
1. Is the site user friendly?
2. Is there a well-labeled table of contents?
3. Do all the design elements (graphics, art, buttons, etc.) enhance the message of the site?
4. Are there any errors in spelling or grammar?
5. Do the pages appear to be clean and uncluttered?
6. Do the links on this site work?
Think About Intention.
1. Why was this site created? (to persuade, to educate) Is it a commercial (.com), government (.gov), academic (.edu), or non-profit Web site (.org)?
2. Is there any bias? Is only one side of the argument presented? Is it trying to persuade you to change your opinion?
3. Can you tell the facts from opinions?
Think About Credibility
1. Who is responsible for this site?
2. What are his or her credentials?
3. Have the authors documented their own sources?
4. What is the domain name? Does it end in .com, .gov, .edu, .org, or .net?
5. Who else links to the site? You can perform a link check in Google by entering "link:webaddress" in the search box. Is it linked to other reliable sites?