LibGuides: Information Literacy at Idaho State University: Evaluate Sources

Helpful Handouts

Applying the CRAAP Test
Upload this file to help you evaluate sources for writing assignments according to currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.
Peer-Reviewed Articles
How do you know it's a peer-reviewed article?
How can you be sure?
RADAR_Evaluating Information
Evaluating Information Sources: RADAR is a framework that can help you remember what kinds of questions you should be asking about an information source as you evaluate it for quality and usefulness in your research.
SCORE Assessment

How do I know if it's scholarly?

How will you use your sources?

Background Source: this source can provide context for your project and give needed information to your audience

Exhibit Source: information in sources can be used as examples

Argument Source: a source with an argument you agree with, disagree with, or want to add to

Method Source: a source with a distinctive way of analyzing a problem you may want to adapt to your project

The BEAM Method invites you to think about how you will use your sources.

Tools for Verifying

Verify, cross-check, and compare content you see online to avoid spreading "fake news." Here are few basic tools to get you started:

Fact Checkers

Factcheck.org
FactCheck.org fact-checks claims made by presidents, members of Congress, presidential candidates, and other members of the political arena by reviewing TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases.
PolitiFact: Fact-checking US politics
Politifact fact-checks claims by politicians at the federal, state, and local level, as well as political parties, PACs, and advocacy groups and rates the accuracy of these claims on its Truth-O-Meter.
Snopes
Snopes.com was originally founded to uncover rumors that had begun cropping up in chain emails and message boards and is now highly regarded for its fact-checking.
Verification Handbook: An ultimate guideline on digital age sourcing
Handbook is a step by step guide for verifying digital content initially created for reporters and emergency responders.

Verify Webpage History

Wayback Machine
Web archive that captures websites over time and can be used to verify content history and edits.

Verify Images

Found an image you think may have been manipulated or photo-shopped? Use these tools to check for any digital changes:

FotoForensics
Identify parts of an image that may have been modified or “photoshopped”.
Google Reverse Image Search
Upload or use a URL image to check the content history or to see similar images on the web.
Google Street View
Identifying the location of a suspicious photo or video is a crucial part of the verification process.
Jeffrey’s Exif Viewer
Upload or enter the URL of an image and view its metadata.
TinEye Reverse Image Search
Upload or enter an image URL to the search bar and see a list of related sites. Has plug-ins for your browser.
Wikimapia
Crowd-sourced version of Google Maps, featuring additional information.

Want more tools? Check out the Verification Handbook's List of Tools

Source: LMU/LA Library:

http://libguides.lmu.edu/c.php?g=595781&p=4121899

How to Spot Fake News

www.ifla.org/publications/node/11174

Using the Internet

ResearchPath: Module 4 - Using the Internet

Scholarly and Non-scholarly Sources
Magazine or Journal Article: How Do You Know?

You may sometimes see the terms "magazine" and "journal" used interchangeably to indicate any publication that is published regularly, i.e., weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc. (You can know a regular publication because its issues are marked with some sort of numbering system and/or a date.) The table below provides some helpful tips for distinguishing between the two types of publications.

Caution! Titles do not always reveal the source type. Not all journals have the word "journal" in their titles! Most of the time databases include both types of sources, but you may encounter a strictly scholarly database. Read the database description.
	Magazine (non-scholarly–popular literature)	Journal (scholarly–peer reviewed)
Examples:	Time Computer World Science News Photography	Gothic Studies Methods of Information in Medicine Journal of Economics Journal of American History
Length:	Articles are fairly short, providing an overview on a focused topic.	Long, in-depth analysis of topics, sometimes very narrowly focused. Reports on original research.
Language/Audience:	Written in non-technical language for non-expert readers.	Language can be full of technical jargon. Written for researchers, professors or students in a particular field.
Format/Structure	Often glossy paper, lots of pictures, sidebars. Articles do not follow a specific format.	Plain paper, sometimes figures, charts and tables included. Articles follow a specific structure: Abstract, literature overview, methodology or analysis, conclusion, references.
Authors:	Author is usually a staff writer or reporter. Name and credentials are not always indicated.	Author is usually an expert in a particular field: a scholar or researcher with noted credentials.
Editors:	Articles are not reviewed by experts, but by magazine staff members (editors).	Articles are reviewed by members of an editorial board who are experts in the field.
References:	A bibliography is usually not provided.	Sources are cited with footnotes and bibliographies (work cited) documenting the research thoroughly.
Advertising:	Includes many general consumer ads.	Ads, if any, are limited to other journals, special services or products in a specific field.

Evaluating Information: Applying the CRAAP Test

Currency: The timeliness of the information.

When was the information published or posted? Why does this matter for your question?
Has the information been revised or updated? Can you provide the date?
Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic? How can you tell?
Are the links functional? *

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.

Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question? How?
Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper? Why? How much?
Who is the intended audience? Children? Adults? Professionals?
Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)? How can you tell?
Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?

Authority: The source of the information.

Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor? Write down at least one author’s name.
What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations? Why does that matter?
What are the author’s qualifications to write on the topic?
Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address? What are their contact details?
What does the URL or domain reveal about the author or source? *Examples: .com .edu .gov .org .net *

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the informational content.

Where does the information come from? Qualitative or quantitative research? Interviews? Personal knowledge?
Is the information supported by evidence? Give some examples.
Has the information been reviewed or refereed? How do you know?
Can you verify any of the information in another source or from your own personal knowledge? How?
Is there a list of references? What does that tell you?
Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion? Provide some examples.
Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors? What does that tell you?

Purpose: The reason the information exists.

What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade? How can you tell? What clues did you find?
Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purposes clear? How?
Is the information fact? Opinion? Propaganda? How can you tell?
Does the point of view appear objective and impartial? How can you tell?
Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases? Does it make a difference? Why?

Key: *indicates criteria for Web only

Information Literacy at Idaho State University: Evaluate Sources