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Identifying Quality Sources
Identifying Quality Sources
When identifying quality sources, you can use SIFT or you can use CRAAP. Whatever you do, choose wisely and thoughtfully. Pick the websites and sources you use because they reliable. Don't just click on the first one that reaches you.
Investigate a Web Source in Four Moves
Investigate a Web Source in Four Moves
STOP - before you click it, read it, share it, or react, just stop. Ask yourself "Do I know this website?" "Does it have a good reputation?" If you're not sure, move on to the next steps.
INVESTIGATE THE SOURCE - do an internet search on the domain you just found. Look it up in Wikipedia. Read about the source. Are they legit? Are they biased? Do they have an agenda? Was that video on the benefits of milk consumption put out by the dairy industry? You need to know the answers to these questions before you consume the content. Can't find anything about the site? Don't read it.
FIND BETTER COVERAGE - don't just go to the websites that found you. Look for trusted reporting. Look for experts in the field. Ask a librarian or a teacher for advice or trusted sources.
TRACE CLAIMS TO ORIGINAL CONTEXT - if a website quotes another article or website, find the original quote or claim or article. Are you watching the complete video? Are you seeing the entire photo?
CRAAP Test
CRAAP Test
Some things to consider in evaluating the quality of research sources:
Currency: the timeliness of the information
How recent is the information?
Can you locate a date when the page(s) were written/created/updated?
Based on your topic, is the information current enough?
Reliability: importance of the information
What kind of information is included in the Web site?
Is the content primarily fact, or opinion? Is the information balanced, or biased?
Does the author provide references for quotations and data?
If there are links, do they work?
Authority: the source of the information
Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a way to contact them?
What are their credentials (education, affiliation, experience, etc.)?
Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site? Are they reputable?
Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information
Is it accurate? Is it supported by evidence?
Is the information balanced or biased?
Was it peer-reviewed?
Can you verify the information from another reliable source?
Are there spelling, grammar, or typographical errors?
Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a way to contact them?
Purpose: the reason the information exists
What's the intent of the Web site (to persuade, to sell you something, etc.)?
What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)?
Are there ads on the Web site?
How do they relate to the topic being covered (e.g., an ad for ammunition next to an article about firearms legislation)?
Is the author presenting fact, or opinion? Who might benefit from a reader believing this Web site?
Based on the writing style, who is the intended audience?
The CRAAP Test was developed by librarians at California State University, Chico.
Youtube
Youtube
This short video reviews how to use SIFT to evaluate sources for reliability.
This video provides a quick overview on the importance of evaluating sources.
The short video discusses how to use the CRAAP test to evaluate online information.
In 10 episodes, John Green will teach you how to navigate the internet! We’ve partnered with MediaWise, The Poynter Institute, and The Stanford History Education Group to develop this curriculum of hands-on skills to help you evaluate the information you read online.
Fact Checking Resources
Fact Checking Resources
Books in the IIS Library
Books in the IIS Library
The Elements of Library Research by Mary W. George
Call Number: Digital copy in Destiny
ISBN: 0691138575
Publication Date: 2008-08-31
A comprehensive guide to library research for undergraduate students that covers evaluating sources, avoiding plagiarism, conducting online searches, and other related topics; and includes checklists, time lines, and a glossary.
The College Student's Research Companion by Arlene Rodda Quaratiello; Jane Devine
Call Number: 025.5 QUA
ISBN: 1555707297
Publication Date: 2010-11-30
Explains to college students how to navigate an academic library and research topics effectively, discussing the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress systems as well as periodicals, electronic resources, the Internet, and print reference sources such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, bibliographies, and statistical, chronological, and quotation sources.
This page was adapted from AISG Libguides by Kelly Donaldson
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