As a society, we have an abundance of information and resources at our fingertips. The volume of information we have access to can be overwhelming, especially when given a research assignment by your professor. Where do you begin and how do you know that what you are reading is reliable?
Image credit: Martin, Michael. “Bias In The Media Today: Is fake news really a thing?”, Odyssey, 13 Feb. 2017.
Here are some things you need to think about:
- How much do you know about the publication you are extracting information from? What is the process for publishing information in this source?
- Who publishes the information and what is their role?
- What are they trying to promote?
- Who supplies the funding for much of the research?
These are all important questions you should be asking yourself when researching information.
Finding true and accurate information can be a daunting task for students. Here are some steps you can take to evaluate the information you are reading in order to test the validity of the source:
- What credentials does the author(s) hold?
- Is this person(s) considered an expert? How do you know?
- Can you find information on the name of the company, business, or organization that funded the research or created the publication?
- Is the article selling or promoting a product or idea? Is there an agenda?
- Can the information in the resource be confirmed via other sources?
If you have any questions about this process or are still not sure about the resources you are reading, the library is here to help! Librarians are well-practiced in evaluating and locating reliable databases and sources for information. There are only a few short weeks left in summer session B, so see a librarian today!
