Ever feel like you're drowning in information? In our information-rich age, we have a wealth of information available to us from a variety of sources.
We need research skills such as information evaluation to help us use information effectively. Critically evaluating information allows us to select the most useful sources--ones that are relevant and credible.
Identifying and using quality information sources will allow you to better understand your topic and will add credibility to your analyses and conclusions.
Information evaluation is a critical part of the research process. Applying a set of standards to information sources will help you judge their credibility and relevancy.
The evaluation process will depend on the purpose for which you are using the information. When researching for an academic project or looking for information to guide an important decision, you will want to carefully scrutinize information sources. You will also want to compare sources and draw on your own knowledge in your analysis of the topic.
Briggs Library's Research 101 guide describes how to use information about source types and how to use the criteria of currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose to evaluate sources.
Consult Using Evaluation Criteria for a method that allows you to look critically at all types of sources.
