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Evaluating Information

Using digital search tools and the Internet to find information is fun and easy. Access to different resources is valuable. However, easy access means evaluating what we find is important. When we have so many choices, we need to carefully choose what we use so that resources meet our needs.

Print resources offer real advantages – information that is published in books, magazines, and newspapers has already been evaluated by publishers. When credible publishers print information, they have provided a service. They have evaluated information and determined it reasonably meets needs or fulfills some legitimate purpose. Print costs are high – businesses are thoughtful about what they publish in print.

In many ways, publishers stake their reputations on the quality of information they print. This does not mean everything we see in print is absolutely correct and useful, but it can mean that people accept the source the information comes from. If a publisher is generally regarded as reliable, the print resources they create and that we choose to use are also generally accepted as reliable.

On the Web, however, it can be much more difficult to evaluate who actually is responsible for content. Anyone can set up a Website, even using different identities for different Websites. It costs virtually nothing to post information online.

We should be careful to evaluate all information we use, regardless of format. When we find information online, we need to assume responsibility for evaluating the accuracy and usefulness of those resources. Not every website is useful. Not every website intends to inform.

Let’s look at 8 things to think about when evaluating information:

Reliability refers to trustworthiness. Reliable sources tell us where the information presented comes from. Reliable sources cite their sources – where they got the information they use. We must look to see if information we find is balanced – we call this “unbiased.”

Biased information does not present the full story – it is not balanced. When information does not present different sides of an issue, be careful. For example, avoid using sources that are intended to sell us something - they are biased and are not reliable.

Accuracy is about whether the information we find actually represents facts and figures. Accurate information can be verified – it can be fact-checked. When we check other sources, accurate information is consistent even when we find the facts and figures somewhere else.

Authority means asking why we should believe someone. First, we need to determine who is responsible for the information. They we need to ask why they are believable – why they are qualified to give us facts and figures.

When evaluating information for authority, we are checking if what we have found meets reasonable standards, formats, and expectations for “experts” or professionals in that field.

Currency refers to verifying that information is still true. Even if it was accurate once, we need to know that it is still accurate today. Information we rely on and use needs to tell us when it is from.

We need to see that it is still accurate, useful, and relevant. Remember, in some content areas, information changes rapidly. Even if information has been recently published, we need to be sure it is still current enough for our purposes.

Fairness takes reliable one step farther – information can mean different things to different people. We want to be sure information we use respects different views people may have. Even when we don’t agree with different points of view, information is more useful when it acknowledges and respects the opinions of others.

When a subject is controversial, sources should present both positives and negatives aspects of ideas. Stay away from sources that leave out information that would support alternative views.

Adequacy means that information is complete enough for your purpose. General overviews or statements of opinions are not really helpful because there is not enough supporting evidence to justify their conclusions. Look for sources that present an adequate amount of data, facts, figures, and other evidence so that people can understand your topic and points of view.

Efficiency, as we are using it here, primarily refers to Websites. Web pages need to load reasonably quickly and without a lot of distracting banners and pop-ups. If graphics are used, they should add to the presentation of information and not be distracting. Web sources should have navigation structures that are simple to understand and easy to use.

If you see technical glitches at a Website, it is probably better to find another source. Efficiency does apply to other formats too – most of us would not waste our time reading books or newspapers that are hard to follow and understand. Likewise, don’t use poorly designed Websites as sources.

Organization is important with all formats, print, digital, multimedia, and Web – we don’t bother to read books or reports when ideas are not organized. Don’t spend time with Web resources that are unorganized.

Stay away from Websites that have more than a few dead links too. And if a Website requires you to constantly hit your browser’s BACK button, it is probably more helpful to find another source. If information is not structured in a way to make it useful, it is not a good resource. Be sure to select sources where people have thought about how people will access and use the information being presented.

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Information Checklist

That’s everything you need to know to evaluate information you find online, in print, in multimedia, information from any source. But let’s make this even easier

Here’s a seven question checklist to help you apply these ideas. If you answer YES to each of these questions, you have found a good source and can use the information with confidence

1. Is it clear who has provided the information? You cannot evaluate information unless you know the source of that information.

2. Are the aims of a Website or publisher clear? There are different reasons information is posted online or published in print. Once you know who is responsible for information, ask yourself why are they are sharing it.

3. Does the site or print resource achieve its aims? For a source to work for you, it has to be effective for its original purpose. Is it?

4. Is the site relevant to your needs? In a digital age, you can probably find many sources to choose from. Select sources that meet your purpose.

5. Can the information be checked? If not, it probably isn’t useful. And if you do check it, do other sources agree with the facts, figures, and basic ideas?

6. When was the information published? Things change – be sure the information you use is current. If it isn’t, it may no longer be accurate.

7. Is the information biased in any way? Be sure that information respects different opinions and ideas. Good sources are balanced.

Finding information on the Internet may be quick and easy, but we need to take time to evaluate what we find. In some cases, this will take more effort and time than it took to locate sources.

In many cases, using traditional print resources like books, newspapers, magazines, and journals, will actually be easier than Websites. Remember, we can use databases like those at BadgerLink to easily search for print resources. These searches are at least as easy as an Internet search.

When we are using commonly accepted print resources like the New York Times newspaper, books published by Bantam Publishing and Random House, or periodicals like Time or American Journal of Science, the publishers of this information have already evaluated the information before you see it.

We need to evaluate all sources we use, but we will often find that print resources are more-widely accepted. Though there is a lot of good information on the Web, we have to accept responsibility for evaluating what we find and checking to see if others will accept our sources as legitimate.

It can be a little more work, but it is a valuable skills. Looking at information and determining if it is useful is important. They key to being successful in a digital world it to find good information, resources that will help you achieve what you want to accomplish.

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Online Resources:  Evaluating Information

Evaluating Info | Checklist | Online Resources

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