Evaluating Sources

How do we know if

information is true?

Mozart Effect My friend’s sister

recommended that I get my new nephew some Baby Genius Mozart & Friends CDs because they will make him smarter.

Mozart Effect • Find a partner.

• Together, scan the two sources in front of you.

• Answer the questions on your handout and be prepared to share your answers with the group.

1) What is the Mozart Effect?2) What did the article conducted by University

of California Irvine discover? 3) What does the website about the Mozart

Effect say? What do you think it’s trying to argue?

4) What did the article conducted by Appalachian State University discover?

5) Which article do you trust more? Why? List at least 3 reasons and be prepared to share with the class.

How people

determine if

information is true

• Evidence

How people

determine if

information is true

• Evidence• Authority

How people

determine if

information is true

• Evidence• Authority• Consensus

Tools For Evaluating

Sources

CRAP

CurrencyRAP

CurrencyReliability

AP

CurrencyReliabilityAuthority

P

CurrencyReliabilityAuthorityPurpose

Currency

How current is the information? Is it outdated?

Is it very recent?

(Consensus)

Clues

• Check for currency by looking:– For a date in the citation if you’re looking

at a journal article in a database– After the title or at the bottom of the

article from a website

Reliability

Where did this information come from?

Is it cited? Is it sponsored by an

organization with a bias? Is the information

trustworthy?

Reliability

Where did this information come from?

Is it cited? Is it sponsored by an

organization with a bias? Is the information

trustworthy?

(Evidence)

Clues

• To check for reliability, ask– Is this a controversial topic? – Is the language of this article trying to lead

me to believe something?– Is the data sound? Could another conclusion

be made based on the data? Is there data missing?

– Are there many grammatical errors? Is the article well-structured and organized?

AuthorityWho wrote or presented

this information? Does the person have the qualifications to be

presenting this information? Is he or she trustworthy?

AuthorityWho wrote or presented

this information? Does the person have the qualifications to be

presenting this information? Is he or she trustworthy?

(Authority)

Clues• Check for authority of the author

by asking:– Does the writer have a degree in

the subject? What are his or her affiliations (where does the author work)?

– What do others in the field think about this person?

– What else has this person written about the topic? Is he or she an expert?

Purpose

For what purpose is this information being

offered? Does the purpose match your own?

Clues

• To determine the purpose of a source, ask:

– What vocabulary and language is used? Is it for the general public or an expert scholar?

– Is the platform of the information flashy and exciting, or simple? Is the source trying to entertain or inform?

– Are there advertisements? – Can you see where the author is getting

his or her information? Are there citations or a works cited list?

Should I give my nephew the

CDs?

Based on your evaluations …

Practice Time

• Choose two sources.• Evaluate your

sources using the CRAP test in the online form.• Share your results

with a partner.

BACK TO PROCESS

Remember when we talked about this?

What does process have to do with evaluation?Reflect for 3 or 4 minutes.