LESSON 6

Media and Information Sources

At the end of the lesson, the learners must be able
to:

1. Demonstrate an ability to examine and compare

information from various sources in order to evaluate its
reliability, accuracy, authority, timeliness, and bias;

2. Determine the accuracy, reliability and value of

information by questioning the source of data, limitations of
the information gathering tools or strategies, and the
rationale of the conclusions.
Reliability of information - Information is said to be
reliable if it can be verified and evaluated.
Others refer to the trustworthiness of the source in
evaluating the reliability of information.
Accuracy of information - Accuracy refers to the closeness
of the report to the actual data.
Measurement of accuracy varies, depending on the type of
information being evaluated. Forecasts
are said to be accurate if the report is similar to the actual
data. Financial information is considered
accurate if the values are correct, properly classified, and
presented
Value of information - Information is said to be of value if
it aids the user in making or improving
decisions.
Authority of the source - Much of the information we
gather daily do not come from a primary source but are
passed on through secondary sources such as writers,
reporters, and the like. Sources with an established
expertise on the subject matter are considered as
having sound authority on the subject.
Timeliness - Reliability, accuracy, and value of
information may vary based on the time it was
produced or acquired. While a piece of
information may have been found accurate,
reliable, and valuable during the time it was
produced, it may become irrelevant and
inaccurate with the passing of time (thus making
it less valuable).
 Types of libraries

Academic
Public
school
and special.
 Skills in determining the reliability of
information.
 Check the author.
The author’s willingness to be identified is a good
indication of reliability.
 Check the date of publication or of update.
While the information may be true, it may not
be reliable if it is outdated and may have lost
relevance.
 Check for citations. Reliable authors have the
discipline of citing sources of their information
 Skills in determining the reliability of
information.
 Check the domain or owner of the site or page. The
domains .edu and .gov are reserved for academic
institutions and the government respectively.
Information from such sites are presented with
caution and are usually well-grounded. Site owners
may have an agenda that affects the manner by
which information is presented.
 Check the site design and the writing style.
Credible sources take time to make their
information accessible and easy to comprehend.
Skills in determining accurate information.

 Look for facts.

 Cross-reference with other sources to check for
consistency.
 Determine the reason for writing and
publishing the information. Check if the author
is objective or leaning heavily on a certain point
of view.
 Check for advertising. Advertisers may use
related information to market their product.
 Discuss the following topics on the
alternative media:
 Current popular alternative media
 Rise of alternative media and information.
 Other alternative forms of communication and
distribution have become popular. These include
social media, blogs, and flash mob performances.
These alternative forms provide greater freedom
and power to ordinary individuals and are a quicker
way of distributing information. The downside is
that a lot of the information being passed around is
biased and inaccurate.