Evaluating Information Quality
Multiple Choice
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1.
Before the Internet, much information gathering was done in the local library, where information sources (i.e. books, journals) were selected and reviewed by the librarian before acquisition. Prior to acquisition in a library, the information often went through some form of editorial review before publication. In effect, a series of review procedures, ranging anywhere from very minor to exhaustive, was typically conducted prior to making information broadly available in the form of a book or journal.
This is not the case on the Internet, where anyone with a network connection can publish information. While many organizations post information on the Internet, many more individuals do so. It is important to note that there is currently no review procedure (formal or otherwise) for information that is published on the Internet. The task of evaluating information falls to the individual who is gathering the information. Therefore, while it is important to evaluate all information that you gather, it is especially important when you gather information from the Internet.
Throughout the information gathering process, it is important to evaluate, in a continuous way, the nature and quality of the information you gather. The same criteria may be applied to both print and electronic information sources, including the Internet. When evaluating information you have collected as the result of a literature review, for example, you will want to apply consistent criteria to your results. In the box below, list at least six criteria you would use to evaluate information sources, particularly electronic sources.
example:
Although answers will vary for this question, here are examples of some basic criteria you will want to apply:
Creator of information, such as author or speaker
Source (if any), such as title, publisher, or web site host
Date, timeliness, and currency of information
Perspective, bias, and audience
Fact or opinion, accuracy, and logic (for example, can the information be verified independently, i.e. in a separate source)
Relevancy of information to your topic
Technology Enriched Learning
