Annotated Bibliography

Describe what the CRAAP test is and how it is used to evaluate information. Identify the criteria used to evaluate the currency of information. Identify the criteria used to evaluate the relevance of information. Identify the criteria used to evaluate the authority of information. Identify the criteria used to evaluate the accuracy of information. Identify the purpose behind the creation of information. Identify the criteria used to evaluate multimedia found on the Web.

https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUGEN103.15.3/sections/mod3.6#mod3.6

https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUGEN103.15.3/sections/mod3.7#mod3.7

https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUGEN103.15.3/sections/mod03summary#mod03summary

Introduction

Now that you have learned about the �irst two steps in the research processes—identifying an information need and locating and accessing information—it’s time to explore the third step in the process, which is evaluating information. The process you employ for selecting information should follow a list of criteria that ensure you’re choosing only the best sources. These criteria are currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. They are collectively—and humorously—known as the CRAAP test.

Your Roadmap to Success (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/AUGEN103.15.3/sections/preface#preface)

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Your Roadmap to Success: Section 3.1

Learning Outcome: Describe what the CRAAP test is and how it is used to evaluate information.

Why is this important? Understanding the CRAAP test will help you sort through vast amounts of information so that you can �ind the information that’s important to you. Consider Crystal, for example. Crystal was looking for a new job. She found many job ads online and spent a lot of time applying to them. However, she didn’t get many responses and was feeling frustrated. The few responses she did receive turned out to be not what they seemed. After learning the CRAAP test, she realized that many of the job ads were likely scams or outdated. She now uses the CRAAP test to evaluate job ads and has had much better results conducting a targeted job search.

How does this relate to your success in this course? This section’s learning outcome is associated with the following course learning outcome: Determine the best search strategy for a given information need. Mastering this learning outcome will enable you to save time in your busy life so that you can balance the needs of school, work, family, and other commitments.

To review the course learning outcomes and their relevance to you, see the Your Roadmap to Success (http://content.thuzelearning.com/books/AUGEN103.15.3/sections/preface#roadmap) feature at the beginning of this book. Best of luck on your journey to success!

The explosive growth and use of the Internet in the 21st century has had a profound effect on how people access, interpret, and use information. In 2014, almost 3 billion people used the Internet worldwide (International Telecommunication Union, 2014). People turn to the Internet to help them �ind information for everything from the location of restaurants to instructions on starting their own business to possible reasons for that curious rash on their big toe. In addition, of course, students turn to the Internet to �ind resources for their academic papers (Head, 2013). The International Reading Association states, “. . . networked communication technologies such as the Internet provide

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the most powerful capabilities for information and communication we have ever seen, permitting access to people and information in ways and at speeds never before possible” (2009).

Just as people are able to explore and discover overwhelming amounts of data and information on the Internet, they are also able to create new information quickly and easily by publishing their work on the Web. This ease of publishing by anyone, while good for self-expression and the sharing of ideas, has implications for the reliability of what can be found on the Internet. When anyone can publish anything on the Internet, a great deal of unreliable and subjective information is created.

Ashford Student Pro�ile: Natasha

Natasha has just submitted her �inal paper for her Health & Wellness Promotion class, and she’s feeling con�ident. She was able to �ind several scholarly articles and e-books in the AU Library as well as plenty of resources she found on the Internet to back up her claims about the best approaches to teaching healthy nutrition habits to college freshmen. When her graded paper came back, she was surprised to see she had earned only a C, when she had felt so strongly that she was surely getting an A. After further inspecting her paper, she saw that the instructor had deducted points for the resources she found on the Internet and the arguments she had based off those sources.

Natasha was confused; the instructor clearly stated that resources found on the Internet were permitted for this assignment in addition to scholarly material. Why was she docked points? When she read through her instructor’s comments, she found comments such as “this teaching method is not used by health promotion professionals because recent research has shown it encourages disordered eating behavior in college freshmen” and more comments such as “according to who?” or “please back up with facts, not opinions.” When Natasha scrolled to the end of her paper, she saw that the instructor had written a �inal comment saying that if she was going to use resources from the Internet, she should make sure she was using the most updated information from credible, authoritative entities. For example, sources might include the American College Health Association, the Centers for Disease Control, scholarly articles from PubMed, or other open source scholarly resources. Instead, Natasha had used information from websites such as nutrition blogs by unknown, self-proclaimed “health experts,” promoting and selling diet foods, and an article written by a registered dietitian in 1991. As a result, the claims she made based on those sources were biased, outdated, and probably inaccurate. Because Natasha had found so much information on her topic on the Internet, it was dif�icult to know what to choose, so she had gone with what came up on her �irst page of results, as so many of us do.

By the same token, more and more entities (professional organizations, academic journals, and government departments) that are considered highly authoritative are publishing on the Web. How do you know whether the information is sound? Many have claimed that new literacy skills are needed to effectively navigate and use this new information landscape. Being able to evaluate information found on the Web is absolutely critical not only for your academic life, but also for your workplace and personal life (International Reading Association, 2009; Leu, et al., 2011).

The CRAAP test is a method that you can use to help evaluate information from both print and digital sources while in search for the truth. Developed by the Meriam Library at California State University in Chico, the CRAAP test is a list of questions that you can use to evaluate a source’s currency, reliability, authority, accuracy, and purpose (Figure 3.1). When used in conjunction with your critical thinking skills, the CRAAP test can be an effective method for determining the validity of a resource.

Figure 3.1 The CRAAP test

Currency: The timeliness of the information.

When was the information published or posted?

Has the information been revised or updated?

Is the information current or out-of date for your topic?

Are the links functional?

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.

Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?

Who is the intended audience?

Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e., not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?

Have you looked at a variety of resources before determining this is one you will use?

Would you be comfortable using this resource for a research paper?

Authority: The source of the information.

Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?

Are the author’s credentials or organizational af�iliations given?

What are the author’s credentials or organizational af�iliations?

What are the author’s quali�ications to write on the topic?

Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?

Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source (e.g., .com, .edu, .gov, .org, .net)?

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

Where does the information come from?

Is the information supported by evidence?

Has the information been reviewed or refereed?

Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?

Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion?

Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose: The reason the information exists.

What is the purpose of the information? To inform? Teach? Sell? Entertain? Persuade?

Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?

Is the information fact? Opinion? Propaganda? Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?

Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?

Quick Tip!

Locating Stable Information

Information you locate on the Internet may not be stable. That is, it can move or disappear without warning, making any links you use to cite your information invalid. Information you �ind on websites owned by the United States government, large business or nonpro�it organizations, or educational institutions is usually more stable and therefore less likely to disappear. Additionally, these sites often archive their information, so even if their information has been updated or moved, it may still be accessible.

While the CRAAP test can be applied to evaluate both print and digital resources, the remainder of this module focuses on exploring how you can apply the CRAAP test to evaluate digital information you �ind on the Internet outside the AU Library. Remember from Module 2 that the gold standard for quality information is scholarly/peer-reviewed research, some of which you can �ind on the Internet. Also keep in mind that conducting good research means that the search for knowledge should not be to reinforce what you already know, but to locate many perspectives in search of the truth.

Before exploring the CRAAP test, let’s check back in with Irwin, as he begins his quest for information online. When we left him, he had collected a few scholarly articles from the AU Library on the topic of social networking in the workplace, and was gathering information from them through note taking. He decides to look over his assignment instructions and starts checking off the resource requirements he has ful�illed. Irwin’s assignment requires that he use his course textbook, two scholarly sources, and one source of his choice in the development of his paper. Irwin has already extracted the information he needs from his textbook, and he has the scholarly articles he found in the AU Library. The last resource he needs can be in the format of his choice. On his KWHL chart, Irwin listed that he would like to try locating information for his research paper from podcasts and websites about social networking (see Table 3.1).

Table 3.1: Irwin’s updated KWHL chart

K What do I know?

W What do I want to know?

H How do I �ind out?

L What have I learned?

Social networking has been around for at least 10 years.

It’s useful for staying in touch with friends and family.

It helps me keep up with groups and organizations I’m interested in.

Some of the gaming systems I use have social networks built in.

How do others use social networking?

Has it been around for longer than 10 years?

Does it impact my life the same way as it does others in society?

What are popular social networking tools?

Has social networking evolved with society?

What are popular social networking tools in the workplace?

How are companies using social networks to enhance their organizations?

Background research: Wikipedia & Google

Scholarly sources from the library/FindIt@AU: 1 e-book, 3 scholarly articles

Internet sources: websites, podcasts

SNs have been around since the late 1800s.

Currently, many SNs exist for a wide range of purposes.

Irwin knows that he needs to be careful when using the Internet to search for resources for his paper. He has an idea of how to evaluate the validity of a resource, but he would like to learn more. In the following sections, we take a closer look at how the CRAAP test can help Irwin locate solid resources for his paper.

Knowledge Check

Section 3.1: What is the CRAAP Test?

This interaction will help you apply what you learned in Section 3.1.

Begin

Your Roadmap to Success: Section 3.2

Learning Outcome: Identify the criteria used to evaluate the currency of information.

Why is this important? Being able to determine the currency of information will prevent you from making decisions that are based on outdated information. Consider Ron, for example. Ron wants to eat healthier and has been using a health book he found in his closet to help him plan meals. However, after he learned the importance of having current information, he checked the copyright and realized the book had been published over 20 years ago and thus might have outdated information that might deter him in his quest to eat healthier.

How does this relate to your success in this course? This section’s learning outcome is associated with the following course learning outcome: Evaluate information sources for authority, bias, accuracy, and currency. Mastering this learning outcome will help you identify threats and misleading or outdated information that could jeopardize your schoolwork, as well as your personal life.

The Internet can be an excellent place to �ind the most cutting-edge, up-to-date information, as new content is constantly being published. This is especially true for information on current events, such as news, stock market activity, weather, and traf�ic conditions. The Internet is also an excellent place to �ind archival and historical documents, rare books, or other special collections that once were available only as print sources in libraries. In short, you can �ind all kinds of information created or posted at different times on the Internet, so how do you know if what you �ind is current enough for your topic? Determining the currency of information will depend on the subject you are researching.

Decide Between Older and Newer Sources

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When setting out to �ind information on the Web or when evaluating results from a search, you should determine whether it is necessary to get the most up-to-date material based on your information need. For certain subjects, such as history or the humanities, documents created hundreds of years ago can be valuable to your research today. They include old letters, legal documents such as birth and marriage certi�icates and court and military records, and contemporary newspaper accounts of relevant events.

In contrast, timeliness of the information is critical in �ields in which new knowledge is being built up rapidly, such as science and technology. If you are trying to �ind the latest information on breast cancer treatment in the United States, for instance, you wouldn’t want to use information from a 2001 journal article or from a website that was last updated in 2005. Treatments might have changed dramatically since then because the healthcare �ield evolves so rapidly.

Depending on the purpose for which you’re seeking information, you may need to use both older and current sources for the same project. For instance, consider the �ield of anthropology, the study of human culture of the past and present. You would use historical resources when you are discussing human cultures of the past and current resources when you are discussing contemporary cultures. Or you might refer to centuries-old documents as samples of a culture’s written language, along with new sources discussing computer analyses of those samples.

The following topics usually warrant using newer sources; the list also includes topics for which currency of the information may not be as important. The list is not exhaustive and is only meant to give you some examples. There can be exceptions depending on your particular information need.

Currency of information is usually important when researching

current events and news. stock market activity. laws and regulations. research in the �ield of information and communication technologies (ICTs). medical/health information. sciences. weather and traf�ic conditions. statistics (unless you are looking for historical statistics). reviews on products, restaurants, and so on. information about companies/organizations/institutions—news, data, operations, personnel, practices, and so on.

Currency of information is usually not important when researching

historical information.* topics within the humanities.* cooking, cleaning, gardening, and home repair. many hobbies such as painting, knitting, and working on old cars.

* Primary sources, such as census records and legal documents, can be valuable artifacts containing important data relevant to your study even though they were created many years ago. However, researching historical information and humanities topics can be tricky because new evidence is often discovered that changes the way historians view events in the past. If you are researching historical events or topics within the humanities, make sure the information comes from an authoritative source, something we discuss later in this module.

Check the Publication Date

Once you’ve determined that your topic does require up-to-date information, you need to �ind out when the information you’re considering using was published (or posted). To determine the publication date of information you �ind in print, begin with the copyright date for books, which is found on the copyright page at the beginning of the book, or with the date of issue of a newspaper, journal, or magazine. Be aware, though, that the information referred to within the publication might be considerably older than the publication itself. For example, an article in a nutrition journal might

synthesize data from several research studies conducted over the past decade. If you include that data, then you need to cite the original sources of those studies.

One method to determine the currency of the information displayed on a website is to look at the date the information was added to the site. Keep in mind that a publication date on a website can mean a few different things, such as

when the material was �irst written, not the date it was posted to the site. when the material was �irst posted to the site. when the material was last revised or updated. Updated and revised information can mean something simple like an error in spelling was corrected or some other minor change was made. It can also mean that substantial updating to the information presented on the site occurred.

When searching for the publication date, �irst identify the title of the resource and then determine how much of it you plan to use. In the case of a website, ask yourself: Am I using the entire website? Just one page of the website? A speci�ic article or post within a website? Determining the speci�ic information you are using from a resource will help you locate when it was published and ensure you are citing the correct resource.

Sometimes, especially for news articles and blog posts, the publication date is located near the title of the resource, so be sure to �irst look for the publication date near the title or author’s name. Another place to look for the publication date is at the bottom of the web page, at the end of an article, often centered. Sometimes you will see only the copyright date for the entire website, which is not the same thing as the publication date. The copyright date usually has a small c in front of the date or simply says copyright next to the date.

If the publication date was not provided, one possible strategy for �inding it involves reading the URL of the web page you’d like to use. The website’s address, or Uniform Resource Locator (URL), can tell you a lot about the information contained on that page. For instance, sites that contain articles, blogs, or some form of published content may include a date in the URL. For example, in the URL http://www.homepage.org/2014/02/name-of-article, you can clearly see the date the content was published is “2014” for the year and “02” for the month of February. This is just one way to read a URL. We explore more information on reading URLs and understanding the information they contain later in the module.

Use Revisions or Updates

Often when you need to �ind out when a web page was last updated, you can follow many of the same steps as you would to �ind the publication date. Sometimes, websites list the date the page was last revised at the bottom of the page. Often, you will see “Page last updated:” or “Page last reviewed:” followed by the date.

One possible technique for locating the most recent modi�ication date of a website uses a short line of JavaScript code to pull this information from the site. Some web browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer, allow you to locate the publication date by requesting it in your browser’s address bar. After navigating to a web page, try typing javascript:alert(document.lastModi�ied) into the address bar. This code tells the browser you are requesting the most recent publication information for that particular site.

Aside from checking the publication date and dates that a web page was last revised or updated, you should pay attention to whether the links on the web page are functional. Websites that stay current have authors and editors who regularly check the functionality and content of the website. Therefore, broken links can mean that no one is regularly maintaining the site and that the information is outdated.

Additionally, it’s important to keep in mind that the format of the information can dictate the currency of that information. A newspaper article or a YouTube video can be created and uploaded incredibly quickly compared to a book, which takes considerable time for the author to research and write, and still more time to edit and print. Scholarly journal articles also take time and are often subject to a rigorous peer review process by experts in the academic �ield. Therefore, you can often guess that certain information, such as data on motor vehicle accidents from an annual government report, will probably be more current than data on motor vehicle accidents from a book. In summary, the process by which an informational work is created and made available to others (in print or online) varies greatly and should be taken into account when you are conducting research.

As Irwin re�lects on the information he still needs for his paper, he decides that he does need to search for current information since his research question is technology focused. He makes a note of this on his research plan and begins searching for information on the Internet. Since he is using Google as his search engine, he already knows how to limit his results to those published within the past year or how to customize his dates if needed.

Knowledge Check

Section 3.2: How Do I Evaluate a Source's Currency?

This interaction will help you apply what you learned in Section 3.2.

Begin

Your Roadmap to Success: Section 3.3

Learning Outcome: Identify the criteria used to evaluate the relevance of information.

Why is this important? Being able to evaluate the relevance of information will help you stay focused on your goals by eliminating unnecessary information. Consider Cecilia, for example. Cecilia always assumed that, when it comes to sources for your research paper, the more you have, the better your paper will be. But after learning about the importance of relevant information, she realized that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to sources.

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When evaluating sources, including sources found on the Internet, in the library, or in print, be sure to consider whether the content meets your needs. This is called determining an information source’s relevance. Does the source relate to your topic? That is, does it help answer your question or enhance your understanding? If not, then it is probably best to move on to other sources. Keep in mind that a resource may not be an exact match or completely answer your question, but it could describe a certain angle of your topic that you may want to explore further. Therefore, it could still have value for you. Deciding whether something is relevant to your research is a bit of a judgment call, but the following strategies can help.

Frequently, you can determine the degree to which something is relevant to your needs by considering the audience that the source was written or created for, because the intended audience typically dictates the focus and depth of the information. Content is generally created for different groups, such as practitioners or professionals, scholars or researchers, the general public, or maybe special-interest groups within the general public, such as those who belong to certain political parties, religions, lifestyles, and so on.

Let’s say you work for an exterminating company and you want to stay abreast of new developments and latest techniques or products for pest extermination. Since you are a professional in the �ield and already possess a good deal of knowledge about the topic, it would probably not be helpful to you to use sources written for the general public. Instead, you would seek out information published by professional organizations in the �ield, articles published in trade journals, or possibly peruse posts on Internet message boards or forums created by those in the profession for the purpose of sharing information.

One way to determine the intended audience for a source is to examine the type of language used within it. Highly technical language usually indicates that the intended audience is professionals in the �ield such as technicians, physicians, or scientists. Information that seems too basic or even elementary was probably written for the general public or for students. For academic papers, “just right” sources are typically scholarly, with more advanced language, and perhaps some vocabulary speci�ic to the �ield, but not a level of terminology that makes the source incomprehensible to you.

Another way to determine whether or not a source is relevant for your needs is to compare it with other sources of information on your topic. As we discussed in Module 1, this is another reason conducting background research is so important. It not only gives ideas for keywords, but can also clue you in to possible angles to pursue about your speci�ic topic so that you’ll be able to identify those sources that are relevant.

You also should consider how the format of the information you chose can affect the scope, depth, and manner in which your topic is discussed. For instance, say you are looking up the topic of workplace violence in the United States. Take a look at how these different formats may in�luence what is covered about that topic:

Books could give an in-depth as well as a broad account of workplace violence in the United States, including the history, causes, and impact. Books may also cover speci�ic aspects of the topic in quite a bit of detail. Newspaper articles could cover the latest developments of speci�ic incidences of violence in the workplace (for example, a recent workplace shooting in XYZ town), commentary on the current state of workplace violence in the United States, and other news regarding current events of the topic. Scholarly articles focus on research conducted by scholars that typically cover very speci�ic aspects of the topic. For instance, a scholarly article could explain organizational responses to workplace aggression. Wikipedia or encyclopedia articles provide a general overview of the topic, possibly including a de�inition of the term(s), categories of violence, rate of incidence in the United States, and so on. Keep in mind, though, that while Wikipedia can give you a good overview on a topic, you should not use it as a source in your academic assignments. YouTube videos range from actual coverage of an incident (such as security camera footage), people’s commentary on the topic, training videos meant for workplace violence prevention, and much more. Government websites (such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) may cover U.S. statistics of fatal and nonfatal occurrences of workplace violence or prevention programs.

Often, you may need to get information from various formats that are addressed to different types of audiences to gather all of the relevant information you need.

As Irwin begins his search for current, relevant information, he begins to feel a bit discouraged. His initial search on social networking and the workplace yielded him over 5 million results in Google. He even remembered to use quotation marks around “social networking” like the AU librarian showed him. After limiting the date range, he’s still swimming in a number of results that do not look relevant to his topic. He reminds himself that most likely he won’t �ind the one perfect article that address all aspects of his topic, so he decides to see if the sites on his results list discuss points relevant to his topic. He initially thought it would be interesting to include a podcast or personal website for his last resource; however, he notices that his results list includes quite a few government websites and decides to explore those �irst.

Knowledge Check

Section 3.3: How Do I Evaluate a Source's Relevance?

This interaction will help you apply what you learned in Section 3.3.

Begin

Your Roadmap to Success: Section 3.4

Learning Outcome: Identify the criteria used to evaluate the authority of information.

Why is this important? Being able to evaluate the authority of information will help you �ind credible people and resources, and avoid those that might discredit your work. Consider Christian, for example. Christian is preparing his children to move to a new town. One of his friends heard about the move and sent him a link to a website that discussed how terrible the school system in the new town is. At �irst, Christian was alarmed because he wants a quality education for his kids. He then realized that the website doesn’t list the author, which he thought was suspicious. Knowing the importance of evaluating authority, he did some more research and found a government website that lists test results from the new school system (which were above average) and a Facebook page with posts from parents whose children attend the school system. He decided the authority of these pages was much more credible and felt better about his decision to move.

Once you’ve determined that a source is relevant to your information need, you need to consider who the author of the source is and his or her authority level on the subject matter. In information literacy, authority is a level of education and experience that quali�ies an individual or group to publish information on a given topic. For example, the United

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Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a global authority on climate change because its more than 2,000 members have advanced education and extensive experience in climate science.

Let’s revisit the threshold concept authority is constructed and contextual. In other words, no single checklist of criteria can tell you who is an appropriate authority in every situation; instead, the level of authority required depends on the information needed (ACRL, 2015). For example, you wouldn’t need information from a leading researcher in meteorology to help you decide whether to wear a jacket tomorrow, but you would need information from someone with that level of authority if you were writing a thesis on meteorological models. A Wikipedia article on Harry Potter would be perfectly suf�icient to help you keep track of which character is which as you are reading the book. However, Wikipedia would not be appropriate if you were writing a dissertation on Harry Potter’s place in children’s literature; for that, you would need to consult scholars on the topic. This is what is meant by authority is contextual—different contexts require different levels of authority.

Similarly, the value placed on different types of authority often varies by community. Members of one group might not consider a �igure in a different group as a reputable authority. For example, members of a political party may view the writings of certain leaders or thinkers with high regard, whereas people from outside that party may not recognize the authority of those same leaders or thinkers. In another example, a noted historian who is an expert on the Civil War would not carry the same authority if he were to write an article about a modern health-related topic. This is what is meant by the idea that authority is constructed—different groups construct their own ideas about who or what is a valued source of information for their purposes.

Ashford Student Pro�ile: Gina

Gina was in trouble. She’d been researching the topic of her history paper for over a week and was coming up empty handed. When she initially selected the topic in her Book History class, she was excited! Her professor listed the Dutch East Indies Trading Company (VOC) as a possible topic and included three books published during that time that she was to write about. The majority of her paper was to be written on the history involved with the VOC, with supporting information on how each of the three books �it into the history of that organization. She knew this topic had the potential to be tough to research but felt she was up for the challenge.

Gina easily located the information she needed on the VOC within the AU Library. She initially began researching for information on the three books by searching in digital libraries in Europe. Gina quickly realized that these libraries shared similar information on each book and so was able to glean only a few key pieces of information for her paper. She then began searching the Internet using Google and was shocked to see the websites that contained information on her three books were all written in Dutch. She tried using Google Translate, but the information on the pages was still dif�icult to understand. In spite of this, she was able to pull a few more key pieces of information for her paper, but it wasn’t enough.

As the deadline for Gina’s paper drew near, she began writing it with the research she did have. While the information on the VOC was complete and accurate, she still needed more information on the three books. Gina was feeling desperate. She remembered that during her background research she came across information on two of her three books on Wikipedia. Gina knew she wasn’t supposed to use information from Wikipedia on an academic paper, but she was curious if the site contained information that she did not come across during her actual research.

As Gina typed the name of her books into Wikipedia, she was surprised and relieved to see information on two of her three book titles, information on all three authors, and the publishers of each book listed there. As she scanned and skimmed the information within the articles, she noticed citations throughout each article, with links to the information at the bottom. Gina gathered as much information as she could from the sites referenced in the Wikipedia articles. Many of the links were from .edu sites in other countries and historical preservation sites. Gina scoured those websites and was able to discover the information she needed to complete her paper. At the end of it all, she was confused why these resources did not show up in her Google results.

The strategy Gina used to gather information from the citations listed in the Wikipedia articles is called mining. Mining information from the citations listed in Wikipedia articles can be very valuable, especially if you are in a tight research bind. However, remember that you should evaluate each site listed on a Wikipedia article using the CRAAP test before using any of the information.

The reason Gina didn’t see these results in her Google searches is that (1) the sites were from other countries and (2) the Internet �ilter bubble could be excluding these sites from her results.

Identify the Publisher

The �irst step in evaluating the authority of a resource is to �ind out who the publisher is. This information is easier to �ind for some resources than for others. Books, magazines, and journals identify the publisher prominently, usually on the cover as well as on the copyright page. Look for reputable publishers in a given �ield; for example, scienti�ic societies or university presses for science texts and journals. Self-published material, material that hasn’t been edited or reviewed by someone else, needs careful evaluation. The number of self-published books is on the rise and can look very sophisticated with current technology. Since the author of the work is the person publishing it, pay close attention to the author’s credentials to determine whether he or she can be considered an authority on the topic.

Also evaluate the organization responsible for publishing information you �ind on a website. Reputable organizations tend to be stable, so the information on the website most likely will not undergo radical changes in a short period of time. Government agencies and academic institutions tend to be credible. Not-for-pro�it organizations are usually considered more credible than commercial websites because making a pro�it or selling a product does not motivate them. However, some not-for-pro�it organizations exist to promote a speci�ic agenda rather than to provide objective information, so conduct some research into the nature of the organizations whose information you’re considering using. Look for the organization’s mission statement, which is often in an “About Us” section. If you are not familiar with the organization, try searching for more information about it online using a search engine.

Examining an Organization’s Authority

Pay attention to organizations with similar-sounding names; sometimes a group will call itself something that sounds like an established, reputable organization, but it may have a different purpose.

For example, the American College of Pediatricians and the American Academy of Pediatrics sound like very similar organizations.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP; www.aap.org (http://www.aap.org) ) is a professional organization for pediatricians that was founded in 1930; has over 60,000 members; and is a leading source of clinical guidance, policy recommendations, and education about children’s health.

The American College of Pediatricians (ACP; www.acpeds.org (http://www.acpeds.org) ) is a socially conservative group that consists of about 200 members. Some public health experts believe that the ACP advances its members’ personal and religious agendas by distorting the research of others (Collins, 2010).

As you can see, although their names are very similar, the authority of these organizations varies greatly. As this example shows, it’s essential to investigate the authority of the organizations publishing information you plan to use. Not what the group stands for.

Identify the Author and the Author’s Credentials

http://www.aap.org/

http://www.acpeds.org/

Print sources typically list the author’s name prominently on the cover, title page, or beginning of an article. On a website, the author’s name may be harder to �ind. Look at the top or bottom of the page, or look for an “About” or “Contact Us” section. Sometimes you might have to dig around the site to �ind out who authored the information.

Once you identify an author, you will need to evaluate that author’s expertise in the subject area. An author’s credentials are the quali�ications that make an author reputable in a speci�ic �ield. When evaluating an author’s credentials or quali�ications, look for the following items as possible indicators that the author can be considered an expert in his or her �ield:

Academic background and degrees: Degrees listed after an author’s name, such as PhD or MD, show that the author has spent many years formally studying in his or her �ield and is quali�ied to write on a topic. It is a good idea to make sure that the author’s degree is in a �ield that is related to the topic about which he or she is writing. Academic degrees also often indicate that the author conducts research in that area. Work or other experience: In some �ields, like business, work experience might be more important than the number of years a person has spent formally studying a topic in school. Outside of their work at a company, authors might have also served on committees for professional groups, and university professors might teach or conduct research in a certain area. Licensure or certi�ication: In addition to academic degrees, look for letters after the author’s name indicating a special license or certi�ication. This is more important in some �ields than in others. When you see additional credentials after an author’s name, it shows that the author has spent considerable time developing his or her skills and has passed some type of examination certifying that he or she is pro�icient in a certain area. If you are not familiar with a particular certi�ication, try doing a search using the letters or the full name of the credential to �ind out what the requirements are for obtaining that credential. Often these licenses or certi�ications are sponsored by a professional organization, and these organizations often maintain a list or database of members who currently hold that license. Af�iliations: Look for the groups the author is af�iliated with, such as academic institutions, companies, government agencies, or professional organizations. These af�iliations might indicate where the author works, or they might indicate the author’s membership in a particular organization. As noted earlier, try to �ind out about the reputation of any groups with which the author is associated. Af�iliation with a credible organization usually signi�ies the credibility of the author, as the author serves as a representative of the organization. Other publications: An author who has written many publications on a topic has probably spent considerable time studying that topic and thus might be considered an expert. This is especially true if the other sources (other websites, journals, or book publishers) where the author has been published are reputable sources. Additionally, scholars often cite other well-respected scholars in their �ield, so if an author’s publications have been cited by many other sources, he or she is probably an authority in that area.

Contact the Publisher or Author

When determining the authority of a source, you should look for contact information on websites, including addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. You can often �ind them in an “About Us” section. If you have questions that aren’t answered either on the resource itself or through additional searching, try contacting the source presenting the information. A reputable source should provide contact information; this can indicate transparency and a willingness to engage with readers. Be cautious about sources that provide no contact information or that provide only an email address. Anyone can create an email address. If this is the only contact information you can �ind, it’s a good idea to send an email asking for more information. For instance, say you found an article on a website called Life Skills for Learning that you were hoping to use in a research paper for class. The website does not list who wrote the article, but it does have contact information for the website itself. In this case, contacting the source could be bene�icial. Try emailing the website to see whether someone can provide the contact information you are looking for. If the site did not provide contact information, this is a sign you should consider using a different source.

Read the URLs

At times, you can gather quite a bit of information about a web page by looking closely at the URL. Earlier we explained how to use the URL to determine the date information was posted online. Reading the URL can also tell you the author,

publisher, and who is sponsoring the information presented. Each of these items will help you decide on the authority of a source. Take a look at the following sample URL to understand the different parts of it:

http://www.sampleurl.com/folder/�ile.html

http: This part of the URL stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. This is the language or set of rules that computers use to communicate with each other when transmitting information. www: This part of the URL stands for World Wide Web. Browsers usually add this on, even if you do not type it into the address bar. It usually is not necessary to enter anymore. sampleurl: This is the domain name, which is the unique address for the web resource, or the server on which it exists. This address must be unique in order for a browser to know how to get to it, just like a physical mailing address. Often this is the name of the organization that is responsible for the website. .com: This is called a top-level domain. A limited number of top-level domains are available, and they can tell you a lot about what type of website it is. Top-level domains (TLDs) are regulated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Some TLD names are restricted to speci�ic types of organizations that meet certain criteria, and some are open to be used by anyone. While the number of TLDs continues to grow, several of the most common will probably be familiar to you. Check out Table 3.2 for information on the most common TLDs. /folder/�ile: This path takes you to the speci�ic page that you see. Just as you organize your �iles on your desktop into folders, the individual pages on a website reside in folders, and this part of the URL shows the location of those folders and �iles on the server where the website exists. .html: This is the �ile extension. It shows what type of �ile the page is. In this example, html means it’s a web page. Other �ile extensions you may see are .pdf, which you can open with a PDF viewer like Adobe Reader, .docx for a Microsoft Word document �ile, or .xlsx for a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Knowing the �ile type is not critical to evaluating the quality of the information.

Table 3.2: Common top-level domains

Top- Level Domain

Website Type

Notes

.com Usually indicates a commercial website

These websites are often sponsored by a company and may be intended to sell a product. That does not mean that they cannot be credible. Many .com websites contain great information. Just keep in mind that there are no restrictions on who can register a domain name with this top-level domain, so you will �ind a wide variety in the quality of these web sites. Check out http://archive.icann.org/en/tlds/ (http://archive.icann.org/en/tlds/) for more information.

.org Usually indicates a not-for-pro�it organization

Many of these websites are credible, especially those that are sponsored by established, reputable organizations like the American Cancer Society. As with .com websites, there are no restrictions on who can register a .org website, so you will �ind variations in the quality of information. Consider the purpose of the sponsoring organization; some may be promoting a certain viewpoint or agenda.

.net Originally intended for organizations like Internet service providers

These websites are now unrestricted, meaning anyone can register for them, like .com and .org websites.

.edu Indicates an educational institution

Information found on these sites may not be automatically credible. Use your critical thinking skills to determine the validity of the information.

.gov Indicates a government agency

These are generally considered credible.

http://archive.icann.org/en/tlds/

After Irwin found some great statistical information for his research paper from the different government websites he looked at, he turns his attention to locating relevant information from personal sites. As he begins searching, Irwin becomes concerned that a personal website may not be the best choice for his paper. He attempts to explore the authors’ credentials but �inds it tricky to determine whether they are quali�ied to write on the topic of social networking in the workplace. He eventually locates three potential sites that he’s considering for his research paper. The information on each of these sites is current, meaning it has been posted within the past year, and each author has posted his or her credentials to write on the topic of social networking. The �irst author claims to be the founder and CEO of a social media company, but the link to the author’s company site is inactive and doesn’t work. This requires more digging for authority on Irwin’s part. A lawyer wrote Irwin’s second website option, and a social media manager for a large company wrote Irwin’s third website pick. After learning about the importance of authority Irwin is feeling uncertain now about the idea of using these websites in his paper. He’s also concerned with how to determine whether the information on each website is accurate.

Knowledge Check

Section 3.4: How Do I Evaluate a Source's Authority?

This interaction will help you apply what you learned in Section 3.4.

Begin

Your Roadmap to Success: Section 3.5

Learning Outcome: Identify the criteria used to evaluate the accuracy of information.

Why is this important? Learning how to evaluate the accuracy of information will help you uncover hidden biases and agendas in the media you encounter in your professional, personal, and academic lives. Consider Akeem, for example. Akeem is interested in local politics, so he used to read a blog focused on his town’s politics. However, the blog often seemed to be overly critical of a certain city council member, so he became suspicious about the blog’s accuracy and authority. After some research, Akeem discovered that the blog’s author went through a bitter divorce with the council member and may be seeking revenge through the blog! The blog was clearly biased and therefore not accurate. Akeem now stays current by reading the local newspaper and attending council meetings himself.

Accuracy refers to the precision, correctness, truthfulness, and reliability of the information. To evaluate the accuracy of a source, you will need to consider the content of the information itself.

https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUGEN103.15.3/sections/preface#roadmap

Consider the Author and Format

In the previous section, you learned how to assess the authority of information by identifying the author and the author’s credentials. The same author information is also likely to tell you how accurate the information is. Information created by an authority in a certain �ield will probably be highly accurate; an expert author is invested in producing reliable information, as his or her reputation or career depends on it.

The format in which the information is presented can also affect its accuracy. With the widespread use of the Internet and the growth of social media, information can be published and disseminated online almost instantaneously. Sources like tweets, blog posts, and online news articles are sometimes published about an event even as that event is unfolding. As a result, complete details about the event may not be known or available at the time of publication, so the information may not be entirely accurate. In contrast, because of their lengthy publication process, print formats such as books or scholarly journals typically contain fewer inaccuracies. When evaluating accuracy, therefore, make sure you think critically about the format of the information and the process that went into publishing and disseminating that information.

Quick Tip!

Gathering Information

Keep the following points in mind when gathering information online:

1. Anyone can publish anything he or she wants on the Internet and also in print (think of junk mail, �lyers, and so on). Remember to approach potential resources with caution and do your due diligence!

2. Just like information in print, information on the Internet has not necessarily been edited or checked for accuracy.

3. No standards exist to ensure the accuracy of information found online. However, newspapers, magazines, scholarly articles, and books (not self-published ones) usually do go through some type of fact-checking process.

4. Most importantly, always use your critical thinking skills when evaluating resources, whether for academic, workplace, or personal use.

Evaluate the Evidence

Reliable information should be based on facts or other evidence that can be veri�ied. Arguments and claims should �low logically from the evidence that the author uses. This evidence should be clearly, fully, and prominently cited so that readers can �ind the cited sources and verify that they support the claims made. Whenever possible, the information should refer to the original or primary source. For example, if you were reading an article that used statistics from a government report, you would expect to see a reference to that government report, not to another article that used the same statistics. Additionally, look at the quality of the sources the author cites. Check to see if the evidence comes from other well-respected and reliable sources. If a website provides links to other sites where the data comes from, check

the links to make sure they work and that they point to other credible sites. If you are unsure of the facts or evidence used, you may even need to try contacting the author to verify or answer any questions. Be suspicious of any information that does not tell you the source of the evidence it uses.

Use Other Sources to Prove Reliability

Accurate and reliable information can usually be veri�ied; that is, other sources will present the same or similar information. For example, information about the harmful effects of smoking can be found on smokefree.gov (http://www.smokefree.gov) , the smoking-cessation website of the National Cancer Institute. There, you’ll �ind statistics similar to those you’ll �ind on many other reputable sites, from the American Cancer Society to the U.S. Surgeon General. Compare the data cited on any web page you’re considering using with similar data from other trusted sources to verify accuracy.

If a website or other information source presents data or concepts that cannot be corroborated by another source, you will need to be especially thorough in evaluating it. In �ields that change rapidly and in which research frequently leads to new discoveries, new information that goes against generally accepted knowledge is not necessarily bad. If the �indings of one study present new information that has not yet been published in previous studies, months or years may go by before more information becomes available to support the results of that study. In other words, one study alone is never enough to make a case. It does, however, require critical evaluation on your part before being accepted.

Identify Bias

Bias is an inclination toward or against a particular perspective, group, or idea. All people are biased by their education and personal experiences; thus, it isn’t possible to write from a completely neutral point of view. Therefore, it is likely that most information contains some bias, and some information is more biased than others. For example, a claim that violent crime is decreasing in the United States, and backed by data from the FBI, is likely to be far less biased than a claim that America is more violent than it was half a century ago, backed by three or four personal anecdotes. Think of bias as a spectrum rather than a characteristic that is either present or not.

As you’re conducting research, be aware that most people �ind an author’s bias especially dif�icult to detect when it aligns with their own. Bias is not necessarily bad. As long as you recognize that it’s always present, and you look for information that represents a different perspective, you’ll increase your chances of exploring all sides of an issue and drawing less prejudiced conclusions.

Although information in any format can and will be biased, information you �ind on obscure Internet sites is especially prone to personal bias. We explained earlier that anyone can publish to the Web without any regulation, so people can post information promoting their own personal agenda, declaring their viewpoint, or selling their product or service. People may even deliberately post misinformation that is intended to obscure the truth.

When you are trying to determine bias, look for things such as

emotional, strong, or in�lammatory language. claims that are not supported by evidence. distorted facts or facts presented out of context. information used to sell products. whether the opposing point of view is either underrepresented or nonexistent. evidence that contradicts the viewpoint is ignored. personal attacks. claims of certainty or absolutes. the relationship between content and advertisements (does the content seem to be related to or promoting the products that are advertised on the site?).

Quick Tip!

http://www.smokefree.gov/

In�lammatory Language

In�lammatory language is negative in nature and consists of a selection of words a writer uses to stir up emotions such as passion, anger, or hostility from the reader. The intent in using such language is generally to get an emotional reaction from the reader. Be wary of including sources that use this type of language to convey their message. There are most likely better, more neutral-toned sources that will effectively address your information need.

Bias can also in�luence the purpose and objectivity of information. Let’s look at a few examples:

Political bias: Information with a political bias is intended to persuade readers to vote for a certain candidate or support the ideas of a political party. Ideological bias: Ideology refers to the system of beliefs, or the worldview, of an individual or a group of people. Individuals and organizations may publish in order to promote an ideology—explicitly or subtly. For example, the ideological views of a news organization can affect the stories it chooses to produce and the side of a story it tends to favor. An author also might write to promote the beliefs of a particular religion. Personal bias: As noted earlier, individuals are in�luenced by a variety of personal factors that lead to bias in the information they disseminate.

Assess the Quality of the Presentation

Look at the overall quality of the information. It should be free from errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Information should also be presented in an organized and logical way, with clear structure that is broken down into logical sections. Look for headings that clearly identify the main idea of the narrative beneath them. When appropriate, a high-quality presentation will include graphs, charts, or data tables to help the reader understand the text. These graphics and tables should be accurately labeled, easy to understand, and clearly relevant to the text.

Irwin begins to look closer at the content of each of the three websites, looking speci�ically for bias and citations to support the information being presented. He can clearly see that none of the websites include citations that reference where the information comes from, so he rereads each website post to see whether he can uncover any bias. Now that he is looking for it, in the �irst website written by the CEO and founder of a social media company, he can clearly see the information seems to promote the company, as language used in the website is very boastful. This leads Irwin to consider the purpose behind the information shared in each site.

Knowledge Check

Section 3.5: How Do I Evaluate a Source's Accuracy?

This interaction will help you apply what you learned in Section 3.5.

Begin

Your Roadmap to Success: Section 3.6

Learning Outcome: Identify the purpose behind the creation of information.

Why is this important? Understanding why information is created will help you decide whether it is in line with your goals and beliefs. Consider Sam, for example. Sam learned the importance of identifying the purpose behind the creation of information after his new neighbor gave Sam’s son some children’s books. At �irst, Sam thought it was a kind gesture. After examining the books closely though, he noticed that they were published by a religious group he had never heard of. So he read some of the stories and realized that they contained subtle messages that con�licted with his own religious beliefs; these messages were not something he wanted his son to be exposed to.

The �inal task of evaluating information is understanding why that information was created—that is, the purpose it serves. The goal might be to inform, instruct, persuade, entertain, sell a product, or even damage another person or cause. Some authors present only one side of an issue, whereas some present all sides. Think about why this might be, and what purpose the author had for presenting the information in a certain way. For example, does the author have anything to gain personally from the information he or she is presenting? Who is the intended audience? Is the author

https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUGEN103.15.3/sections/preface#roadmap

trying to sell a product or service to potential customers, recruit new members to a group, or in�luence voters’ opinions in an election?

If the information is sponsored by an organization, you will need to �ind out the mission of the organization. Even if a particular web page was written by an individual author, the mission of the group sponsoring the website on which that page is located is still relevant to the information’s credibility, as there is probably a reason the information was posted on that particular site. Look for the “About Us” tab on the website or the “Mission Statement.” If the mission of the organization is not obvious from the website itself, try using a search engine to �ind more information about it.

Information can be fact, opinion, or propaganda:

Fact is information based on evidence that can be veri�ied in other sources or through observation. Opinion is a judgment or subjective statement that may or may not be based on facts, but cannot be veri�ied without bias or prejudice. Propaganda refers to information that is speci�ically intended to in�luence people’s attitudes and emotions by promoting a certain agenda. It usually presents facts selectively or even twists facts to communicate a desired message. Propaganda often uses in�lammatory language intended to manipulate its audience’s emotions.

When determining whether information is fact, opinion, or propaganda, look to see if the language appeals to emotion or is objective and impartial. Can other evidence con�irm the information, or does it seem as if important facts are missing? If so, how might this indicate the point of view of the author? For example, if a website presents the bene�its of using a botanical remedy to cure multiple diseases, but does not present the molecular chemistry behind the claimed therapeutic effects or acknowledge any side effects or adverse effects, then the author is probably not presenting the information objectively and impartially, and his or her purpose is quite likely to sell the product.

Table 3.3 contrasts scholarship and propaganda. When seeking out good research, look for scholarship that contains the following examples. Consider following the examples of scholarship when presenting your own research.

Table 3.3: Scholarship versus propaganda

Characteristics of Scholarship Characteristics of Propaganda

Describes the limits of data Uses excessive claims of certainty

Presents accurate description of alternate views Makes personal attacks or ridicules

Presents data that do not favor preferred views as well as data that supports these views

Uses emotional appeals

Settles disputes by use of generally accepted criteria for evaluating data Distorts data unfavorable to preferred views

Looks for counterexamples Suppresses contradictory views/facts

Uses language in agreed-upon ways Appeals to popular prejudices

Updates information Relies on suggestion (e.g., negative innuendo)

Admits own ignorance Transforms words to suit aims

Finds own �ield/area of investigation dif�icult and full of holes Magni�ies or minimizes problems

Attempts to discuss general laws/principles Presents information/views out of context

Relies on critical thinking skills Devalues thought/critical appraisal

Source: Presnell, J. L. (2013). The information-literate historian: A guide to research for history students (p. 110). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

In summary, think critically about the purpose each resource serves in answering your need for information. If it exists to persuade or sell, for example, it might not be appropriate for your needs.

Irwin applies his critical thinking skills to the content presented in each of the three websites he selected. He initially thought that selecting websites written by people outside the general public, with published credentials, would help ensure the content was valid and reliable. However, after considering the purpose for each post on the website, he decides to rule out all three. He determines that the �irst website is propaganda meant to present the CEO’s company in the best light possible, which would not constitute a quality resource for his paper. The lawyer’s website presents quite a bit of factual information on social media and the law except many posts end with a summary of how the lawyer’s �irm can help you if you are in trouble. Irwin rules out this source not only because the content isn’t relevant for his paper, but also because the website seems more like a commercial for the lawyer’s services. The last website written by the social media manager shares information about how social networking has enhanced the productivity of companies through global partnerships. The content de�initely is on target for Irwin’s research paper; however, the information also promotes a series of workshops and webinars. At this point, Irwin decides to stick with the government website he found earlier, which means he will meet the minimum resource requirements for his paper. Since he’s still curious about using a podcast in his paper, he decides to see if can �ind one that meets his research needs.

Knowledge Check

Section 3.6: How Do I Evaluate a Source's Purpose?

This interaction will help you apply what you learned in Section 3.6.

Begin

Your Roadmap to Success: Section 3.7

Learning Outcome: Identify the criteria used to evaluate multimedia found on the Web.

Why is this important? Evaluating multimedia found on the Web will help you browse web materials ef�iciently and effectively, while maintaining a good online reputation. Consider Myra, for example. Because Myra has learned to evaluate multimedia, not only has she found valuable resources to help her complete assignments, but this skill has also helped her determine what online material is appropriate for her kids.

Throughout this module, the focus has been on using the CRAAP test to evaluate print and text-based web resources. But you also need to know how to effectively evaluate multimedia resources. As a reminder, multimedia consists of information in digital formats such as audio, video, podcasts, images, and graphics. With a little modi�ication, the CRAAP test can successfully be applied to multimedia resources. However, to use the CRAAP test in this manner, you need to consider each type of multimedia individually. For instance, you would not apply the exact same criteria to the evaluation of a podcast as you would to an image. While the authority of the source producing the podcast and image may be equally important, the currency of the podcast could be of greater concern than the currency of the image. Additionally, you should include multimedia only if it �its within the context of your information need, and it enhances your or your audience’s understanding of the topic.

https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUGEN103.15.3/sections/preface#roadmap

You will need to use your critical and creative thinking skills when evaluating a multimedia source using the CRAAP test. Use the questions in Table 3.4 to evaluate multimedia. Keep in mind that some questions will not apply depending on the type of multimedia required.

Table 3.4: How to apply the CRAAP test to evaluate multimedia

Category Questions

Currency When was the material produced? Is the content still current? Has it been revised or updated? Is it the most recent revision or version? Can I �ind any indications that the content is no longer relevant?

Relevancy Is the multimedia relevant to my information need or audience? Does it relate to my topic? Does it help me answer a question or solve a problem? Could it help to support my central argument? Does it provide evidence or support my ideas? Does it enhance my work?

Authority Who produced or sponsored the material? What is the purpose of the sponsoring organization? Is the organization recognized in the �ield? Is it clear who produced the material and what the author’s quali�ications are? Does it include an address to contact for more information? If the material is protected by copyright, is licensing information given or the name of the copyright holder?

Accuracy If the material presents facts, are those cited and referenced? If data is presented in graph or chart form, is it legible and clearly labeled? Does the sound or image quality of the material allow for an accurate interpretation of the ideas presented?

Purpose/Bias Does the point of view presented appear to be objective and impartial? Does it acknowledge other perspectives or con�licting information? If there is any advertising within the material, is it clearly separate from the informational content? Are the authors’ biases (if any) clearly stated? Watch out for opinion pieces, political messages, and advertisements. Beware of political, religious, ideological, cultural, institutional, or personal biases. Is it meant to inform, teach, entertain, or persuade? Is it trying to sell a product, an idea, or a way of thinking? Does the material present facts, opinion, or propaganda?

Source: Adapted from the Meriam Library at California State University, Chico: http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf (http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf)

When searching out various types of multimedia, you need to consider what is and is not covered under copyright law. When you’re selecting multimedia to cite in an academic paper, most of what you �ind will be covered under academic fair use. However, if you are seeking out multimedia to use for a work or personal need, you will want to pay closer attention to the rules of copyright and possibly search out resources found in the public domain. More information on the topic of copyright and fair use can be found in Module 5.

Success! Irwin located a podcast on the topic of social networking and the workplace that was not only recently published, but also hosted by a globally reputable newspaper. The podcast is part of a series of technology-focused interviews with gurus in the �ield. The podcast Irwin found is hosted by the social media correspondent for the New York Times and interviews a professor at Cornell University who is a leading expert in the �ield of social media. The content of the podcast is relevant to Irwin’s paper and also �ills in a gap he had in his research. Irwin’s completed KWHL chart is shown in Table 3.5.

http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf

Table 3.5: Irwin’s completed KWHL chart

K What do I know?

W What do I want to know?

H How do I �ind out?

L What have I learned?

Social networking has been around for at least 10 years.

It’s useful for staying in touch with friends and family.

It helps me keep up with groups and organizations I’m interested in.

Some of the gaming systems I use have social networks built in.

How do others use social networking?

Has it been around for longer than 10 years?

Does it impact my life the same way as it does others in society?

What are popular social networking tools?

Has social networking evolved with society?

What are popular social networking tools in the workplace?

How are companies using social networks to enhance their organizations?

Background research: Wikipedia & Google

Scholarly sources from the Library/ FindIt@AU: 1 e- book, 3 scholarly articles

Internet sources: government site, podcast

SNs have been around since the late 1800s.

Currently, many SNs exist for a wide range of purposes.

SN in the workplace has positive global implications for organizations.

SN, when used correctly, can enhance partnerships and communication.

In Module 4, we will follow Irwin through the process of organizing his information for presentation in his research paper.

Knowledge Check

Section 3.7: How Do I Evaluate Multimedia?

This interaction will help you apply what you learned in Section 3.7.

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Summary & Resources

Key Concepts CRAAP is an acronym for currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. You can use the CRAAP test to evaluate the information you’ve gathered. Currency refers to the timeliness of information. In most cases, you should use the most current resources available. It is important to check when an information source was published, as well as the last time it was updated or revised. Relevance refers to the importance of the information for your needs. As you conduct research, you should select sources that relate to your topic in an appropriate way. Considering your audience is one way to determine relevancy. Authority refers to the education and experience that qualify someone to publish information on a given topic. In general, the more educated and experienced someone is, the more authority that person has. Identifying the publisher, the author, and the author’s credentials will help you evaluate authority. Accuracy refers to the reliability of information. To be considered accurate, the information must be precise, correct, and truthful. Considering the author, evaluating the evidence, and identifying bias will help you determine the accuracy of an information source. Purpose refers to the reason information was created. Identifying whether information is fact, opinion, or propaganda will help you determine its purpose. With some modi�ications, the CRAAP test can also be used to evaluate multimedia, such as audio, video, podcasts, images, and graphics. You need to evaluate each multimedia type on an individual basis.

Key Terms

accuracy Refers to the precision, correctness, truthfulness, and reliability of the information.

authority The level of education and experience that quali�ies an individual or group to publish information on a given topic.

bias An inclination toward or against a particular perspective, group, or idea.

CRAAP test A method you can use to evaluate a source’s currency, reliability, authority, accuracy, and purpose.

credentials The quali�ications—such as academic degrees, work experience, and certi�ications—that make someone reputable in a speci�ic �ield. Evaluating an author’s credentials is an important part of determining his or her authority.

currency The timeliness of information.

purpose The reason information was created.

relevance The importance of information.

self-published material Material that hasn’t been edited or reviewed by someone else. These materials require careful evaluation.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) The address for a website. The URL can tell you a lot about a website’s author, publisher, and sponsor.

Putting It All Together

Module 3: Evaluating Inormation

Now that you have completed Module 3, this interaction will help you put your new knowledge into practice.

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