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Evaluating Resources: Evaluating Resources

This guide will help you learn how to evaluate the resources that you find in your research.

How do I Evaluate My Resources?

ACT UP method of evaluating resources was created by Dawn Stahura.  ACT UP requires us to active consumers and producers of all forms of media and to critically think about the resources we are using every day. It requires consumers and producers to contribute to the social responsibility  of using accurate information, to challenge bias, and to push back against dominant narratives .

Check it out here!

Whether your sources are from library databases or the web, you need to evaluate them for credibility. Librarians like to use the CRAAP test to evaluate resources. The test consists of 5 important criteria used to evaluate resources:

CRAAP Test

Watch this video from Western University Library to learn more about the CRAAP test!

Evaluate a source using the Sift method.  The SIFT method is an evaluation strategy developed by digital literacy expert, Mike Caulfield, to help determine whether online content can be trusted for credible or reliable sources of information. SIFT is the  practice of doing a quick initial evaluation of a website by spending little time on the website and more time reading what others say about the source or related issue. Check out this video on how to use the SIFT method: https://youtu.be/qsrXJGpxwIE

Stop: Evaluate your source. What is your purpose for potentially using this source? Are you having a strong reaction to the information (anger, joy etc.) ?  Do you already know this source? Don't share or use this source until you know what you are looking at.  By pausing, you give your brain time to process your initial response and to analyze the information more critically.

Investigate: What can you find out about your source? Who is the author? What do other credible organizations say about your source? What is the agenda behind the source?

Find: Find other trusted coverage about your source. Did you find other credible sources on the same topic? What is the consensus?

Trace: Trace all claims and media back to the original content. For example if a blog post cites a scholarly study, find the original study. Seeing something in its original context, lets you know if the version you saw was accurate.

 

 

https://mikecaulfield.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/sift-infographic.png

You may also want to ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is the educational background and area of expertise of the author?
  • Have they published in other well-known publications in the field?
  • What does the author intend to accomplish?
  • Is your topic covered in enough depth?
  • What is the tone, style, vocabulary, and level of information provided in the article?
  • Is the information fact (something known to be true), opinion (thoughts of particular individuals/groups), or propaganda (information spread for a particular group/person/event/cause)?
  • Is the language objective or emotional? Does it stick to facts or try to garner an emotional response from the reader?
  • Is there enough evidence to back up the sources claims?
  • Do you need up-to-date information or historical information?
  • Are there references provided to show the research process or to lead you to other relevant materials?

Use this handout from MeL to learn more questions to ask when evaluating the trustworthiness of resources.