This document discusses how to evaluate information sources. It provides criteria for evaluating authority, accuracy, objectivity, and currency of information. For authority, it considers who created the content and their credentials. For accuracy, it discusses verifying facts and citing reliable sources. For objectivity, it examines biases in presentation and purpose. For currency, it looks at when the content was created and last updated. Questions are provided for each criteria to help guide evaluation. The document also contrasts searching the web versus library databases.

1. Information
Evaluation
Nicole Branch, MLIS
Research Librarian
Holy Names University

2. Information Evaluation
 Evaluating information quality
 Introduction to the Library Website

3. Candy Criteria
Why did you pick the candy you did?

6. Evaluate
 Authority
 Who created it? Who is responsible?
 What credentials do they hold? What makes them
qualified to discuss the topic?
 Accuracy
 Can the information be verified?
 Check the facts!
 Objectivity
 How is the information being presented?
 Is it objective or biased? What’s the point of view?
 Currency (important based on subject)
 When was it published?
 When was it last updated?

7. Authority
Credentials/Qualifications/Reputation
 Who is responsible for content?
 Is it a commercial site?
 Is it a government site?
 Is it an education site?

8. Reading URLs
 .com
 .org
 .edu
 .gov

9. Authority Questions
Who is responsible for the content?
Domain name?
What does this indicate?
If you don't recognize the name, or there is no
name, what type of information is given about
the contact information?
 Position?
 Organizational affiliation?
 E-mail address?
 Biographical information?

10. Accuracy
Can the information be verified?
 Links to credible sites
 Copyright
Works Cited
 Fact check with another source

11. Accuracy Questions
1. Does the article/website/book cite sources
used to present its information? What type
of sources are they? Scholarly? Popular?
2. Is it possible to verify the legitimacy of
these sources?
3. If the site is research-based, does the
website clearly identify the method of
research and the data gathered?

12. Objectivity
Biased or Objective?
 Sponsoring Organization
 Agendas
 Political Propaganda
 Web hosting
http://english.aljazeera.net/News
http://www.foxnews.com/
http://www.npr.org/
Do you trust the author or organization
providing the information?

13. Bias
 Bias is an inclination to think, act, or react in a
particular manner based on a viewpoint,
ideology, opinion, or understanding.
 Bias surrounds us, and no one is without bias.
 Bias is often seen as negative and something
to avoid.
 This is impossible, as no situation can be truly
objective.
 Bias is not inherently bad or good;
interpretations of bias are clues to other forms
of bias.

14. Objectivity Questions
Determine what is the aim of the author
or organization publishing the site.
What is the purpose of the web site?
 Is it advertisement for a product or
service?
 Is it for political purposes?
 Is it trying to sway public opinion on a
social issue?

15. Currency
When was it created and last updated?
Well maintained web sites have an indication
when it was last updated or modified
 Accessibility
 Dead links
 Stability
 Changes URLs frequently

16. Currency Questions
1. Is a date clearly displayed?
2. Can you determine what the date refers to?
When the page was first written?
When the page was first posted on the
Internet?
When the page was last revised or updated?
The copyright date?
3. Are the resources used by the author current?
4. Does the page content demand routine or
continual updating or revision?
5. Do the links on the page point to the correct
Internet site addresses?

17. Google: Improve Your
Searches
Site Specific Command
What it does: searches only specific domains
What to type: hate crimes site:edu
hate crimes site:gov

18. Web vs. Library Searches
 Web
 Good for
current events
 Statistical
Information
 Pop Culture
 Opinion
 Information
about
Organizations &
Groups
 Need to
Evaluate!
 Library Databases
 Research Based Books
& Articles
 Full-text Resources
 Authoritative & Peer-reviewed
Materials
 Information about
People & Cultures
 Easier to Search
 AND, OR, NOT
 Specific Subjects

19. Questions?

20. Thank you!
Go to: http://tinyurl.com/infoevalsurvey
Nicole Branch, MLIS
Research Librarians
branch@hnu.edu
510.436.1060