Evaluating Internet

Resources

Criteria for website

evaluation
•Currency
•Accuracy
•Coverage •Authority •Host
•Objectivity •Relevancy
•Functionality •Ads

Evaluating Information Who,

Why, When, Where, How and What
WHO?
• Who wrote or produced the piece? •
• Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
• Are they affiliated with an educational institution or a particular organization? •
Have they written anything else on this topic?
• Can you find further background information about the author on the internet?
• Is the author cited in other books or articles on the same topic?
Evaluating Information Who,
Why, When, Where, How and What

WHY?
• Why did the author write this piece?

•
• What is the author’s point of view? • Is it objective
or biased?
• Are alternative points of view presented? • Why did
the author make this
information available?
• Is there a sponsor or advertising? • Who pays to help
make this information available?

Evaluating Information Who,

Why, When, Where, How and What

WHEN?
• When was the information published or last
updated?
• Have newer sources been published on the topic
since?
• Is your topic in an area that changes rapidly and
needs the most up to date information? Or is it a
topic where older sources are still relevant?
• Are links or references to other sources up-to-date?

Evaluating Information Who,

Why, When, Where, How and What
WHERE?
• Where was the information published?

• In a book, website, magazine, academic journal etc.?

• Is the source credible?
• Was the source created to persuade, sell, entertain, inform, or for another
purpose?
• Does the purpose of the source influence the objectivity of the information?
Evaluating Information Who,
Why, When, Where, How and What

• HOW?
• How did the author gather data?
•
• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Do the citations and references support the authors claim? If there are no
references or bad references then this could indicate that the information
is inaccurate.
• Was the information reviewed by editors or subject experts before it was
published?
• Can the information be verified in another source? • Is the language or
tone unbiased and free of emotion?

Evaluating Information Who,

Why, When, Where, How and What

WHAT?
• What do you need the information for?

• Does the information relate to your topic or answer

your question?
• Is the information too technical or too simple for you to use?
• Does the source add something new to your knowledge of the topic?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is the one you
will use?
Evaluating Information: Academic Sources & Peer Review
What is Peer Review?
Why should I care about Peer Review?
Where can I find peer reviewed articles?

How do I verify whether a journal is peer-reviewed?

Scholarly, Popular or Trade?

Scholarly Journal

• Contains articles presenting original research or events

relating to a specific discipline.
• Written by professors, researchers or professionals;
credentials are usually stated in the article.
• Mostly text supported by black and white figures, graphs,
tables or charts; few advertisements.
• Articles are usually evaluated by experts before
publication (peer reviewed).
• Bibliographies support research and point to further
research on a topic.

Scholarly, Popular or Trade?

 Popular Magazine
• Articles about current events and popular
culture, opinion pieces, self help tips,
advertising.
• Written by staff writers or freelancers; names
and credentials often not stated.
• Glossy, color photographs, easy to read
layout, plenty of advertising.
• Timely coverage of popular topics and
current events.
• Authors usually do not cite sources.
Scholarly, Popular or Trade?
Trade Journal/ Magazine
• Articles about news, trends, best practices and
products for a specific industry or profession. • Written
by a professional in the field, sometimes a journalist
with subject area expertise. Often published by a trade
 association.
• Written for practitioners in a field who want to know
news, trends and best practices for their specific
industry or profession.
• Timely coverage of industry trends.
• Not peer reviewed, though author is usually a
professional in the field.

Evaluating Information: Social Media

• Content
• Reliability
• Location
• Context
• Network
• Images
• Images
• Age of Account
Types of Social Media

Examples of the different types of Social Media

sites include:

• Social Networking Sites

• Media/Image Sharing Sites • Video sharing
sites
• Discussion forums
• Blogging and publishing networks
Adapted from:

Mandalios, J. (2013) 'RADAR: An approach for helping students evaluate Internet sources', Journal
Of Information Science, 39(4), pp. 470-478. doi:10.1177/0165551513478889.

Meriam Library, California State University (2010). Evaluating information-Applying the CRAAP test.
Available at: http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf (Accessed: 20 March 2017).

Radom, R. and Gammons, R. (2014) 'Teaching Information Evaluation with the Five Ws An
Elementary Method, an Instructional Scaffold, and the Effect on Student Recall and Application',
Reference and User Services Quarterly, 53(4), pp. 334-347.