How Can I Tell if this Information is Appropriate?
There is SO much information out there that you can find for your schoolwork.
How do you figure out what information is good and what information isn't?
There are certain things that you can look for that will help you figure out if a source is trustworthy.
- Author(s)- If a source, like a website, doesn't have an author, it can be a red flag for that information.
- If no one wants to take credit or responsibility for that information, it isn't a good sign.
- Quickly researching an author is a good move, to ensure they have knowledge of the subject matter on which they're writing.
- Sources- There are certain sources that are more trustworthy, including Academic Journal articles and Peer-Reviewed Journal articles.
- Websites should be used sparingly, but if are used, domains like .EDU and .GOV are more trustworthy than the .COM or .ORG domains.
- Questions to Ask Yourself as You Research:
- CREDIBILITY— Is the information and author authentic and reliable?
- ACCURACY — Is the information current, comprehensive, detailed, and factual?
- REASONABLENESS — Is the information objective, unbiased, and consistent?
- SUPPORT — Is the information verifiable?
- BEWARE! of personal or homemade blogs and Wikipedia because anyone can be considered an “expert” on a topic.
