COMMUNICATION STUDIES

EVALUATING INFORMATION
Shemar Morgan
Romian Lewis
Sabrina McDermott
Daniel Williams
 Overview
• In order for your research to be completed,
you need to evaluate all the information that
you have gathered.
 Objectives
Students should be able to:
• Define and give examples of the following
terms:
1. Evaluating
2. Authority
3. Bias
• Differentiate between fact and opinion and
give an example
• Differentiate between reliability and validity
 Cont’d
• Know the importance of evaluating
information
• Locate primary and secondary sources
• Evaluating Sources
 What does the term Evaluating
mean?
• Evaluating is to form an idea of the amount,
number, or value of.
 Importance of Evaluating Information
• To find the most relevant information for your
topic and assignment
• To ensure the quality and reliability of your
research
• To find expert views, opinions, and research
on your topic
• To weed out unreliable, biased, out-dated,
and/or incorrect information
• To make sure you get the information your
professor is seeking
What is the difference between
Validity and Reliability?
• The term validity can be defined as the extent
to which a test, experiment or procedure
measures what it aims to.

• However, the term reliability refers to the

level to which an experiment, test or
procedure gives the same results when
repeated.
 Reliability
• When your conducting a research please be
advised that the information collected from a
newspaper or a website may not be reliable as it
claims.

• When evaluating your information ensure that your

sources are dependable and well-respected in a
particular area for which they claim knowledge.

• A reliable source will consistently provide

information that is accurate and can be trusted.
 Which is an example of
Reliability
• An article about Leptospirosis written by the
Chief Public Health.

• An opinion expressed by a talk show host or

caller.
 Definitions
• Authority is the power or right to give orders,
make decisions, and enforce obedience.

• ‘Bias is inclination or prejudice for or against

one person or group, especially in a way
considered to be unfair.
 Things you need to know when
Evaluating your sources:
1. At the end of the chapter or article, the author
should have a bibliography.
2. There should be a date and that date should
specify how current is the article.
3. The credentials should be cited.
4. The author of the article
5. Websites that end with .org, .net, .gov, and .edu,
are considered to be reputable and acceptable
websites.
 Also:
6. The author should not implicit any bias.
7. Know where the article is printed from.
 Identifying Sources
• There are two main types of sources of
information. These are:
1. Primary source
2. Secondary source
 Primary Source
• A primary source is any document written by
the actual researcher of a study or creator of a
theory.

• For example; Journals, historical documents,

literary works, letters and reports.
 Secondary Source
• Secondary source is any document that is
written by someone who did not actually do
the research r formulate the opinions or
theories but pulled together relevant sources.

• For example; Encyclopaedias, textbooks