Who can you trust? – A tool for evaluating your print and digital sources

 (adapted from the University of Louisville )

 You are smart.  You know not to trust advertising and media, & social media pitches.  But what about a slickly-designed site written by a spinning public relations expert?

They saying, you can’t always tell a book by its cover, applies to the net, too.

Think about your sources and take the time to learn how to analyze them.  Thinking critically about information is… a skill that you will use for the rest of your life (e.g. in choosing who to trust in a politician or in buying a car).

Wikipedia is quick and easy, but it is just a jumping off point for further research. Read this article about what Wikipedia is NOT.

VARIABLES	QUESTIONS	LOOK FOR:
Authority	Who is the author?   What are the author’s credentials?     Who is the publisher?  (commercial/for profit, nonprofit institution or organization)	Relevant university degree Relevant field or employment experience Past writing on same subject   Is the URL: com, edu, org, net? FYI/ABOUT: What is the publisher’s agenda?
Objectivity	What are the author’s goals? Advocate Inform, explain, educate Persuade or dissuade Sell a product or service Serve as a soapbox       Is the author biased?                             Is the information valid and well-researched?	Print: scan the foreword, preface, abstract and/or introduction Look for reviews of the work in article indexes Digital check About, FYI, homepage     Clues: Inflammatory language, images or graphic styles (boldface, italics to make appoint or indicate sarcasm) Propaganda One-sided arguments and evidence to support them Illogical conclusions No bibliography or one that lacks multiple points of view   *Compare to: articles or books or sites on same topic     Reasonable assumptions and conclusions Arguments and conclusions supported by evidence is verifiable Opposing points of view addressed  Not disguised as facts Authoritative sources cited
Quality	Is the information well-written and organized?	Look for: Good grammar, free of spelling or typographical errors Graphics (images, tables, charts, diagrams) appropriate and clearly presented Logical structure Main points clearly presented Main ideas unified by overarching idea Text flows well (not choppy or stilted) Author’s argument is not repetitive
Currency	When was it published?     Does your topic require current information? (science, medicine, current affairs)	Look for copyright date on the back of title page   On web pages: When the page was created When the page was published on the web When the page was last revised
Relevance	Does the work address your research question or meet the requirements of your assignment?   Is the content appropriate for your research topic or assignment	Review your research question and/or assignment     Scholarly vs. popular Fact vs. opinion Format/medium (e.g. book, journal, website, etc. Subject coverage Language Time period Geographical area Audience Primary vs. secondary