WR 121 for McDaniel HS: Evaluate sources
Information Literacy Reflection Tool (ILRT)
Evaluating Sources: How PCC Students Do It
In this video, three Portland Community College students talk about how they consider, evaluate and use sources for their own research assignments. It should give you a good idea of what you should consider when evaluating sources for your research.
Identifying a publisher / website host / author
Tip! Sometimes it's hard to determine WHO the author is or WHAT publishing group is hosting a particular website or publishes a particular magazine online or in print. One easy way to determine the perspective or position of a particular publisher is to find the publisher in Wikipedia to get a description, summary or short history. This also works for most nonprofit organizations or interest groups.
SIFT: Stop - Investigate the source - Find trusted coverage - Trace back to the original
When evaluating a website, look beyond the page itself. Some sites look very professional and credible but are actually giving you skewed, misleading or untrue information.
This short online video from Mike Caulfield, a research scientist at the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public, gets you started on becoming an efficient fact checker:
Three more short videos about fact-checking techniques from Mike Caulfield: Online Verification Skills.
The videos are:
And here is a link to Mike Caulfield's website on SIFT -- the 4 moves.
Fact Checking
Tips for fact checking! Use the websites below to help you determine the reliability and bias of the information provided by a source. For example, look up the claims, author credentials and organization names mentioned in the source.
- All SidesLooks at the treatment of the same current news stories and issues from media sources considered conservative, centrist, and liberal. Helps readers identify bias and avoid polarization.
- FactCheck.orgFactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
- First Draft NewsTracks and evaluates information that emerges online.
- Media Bias / Fact CheckResource for determining media bias through research and consumer opinions. Media Bias/Fact Check also provides occasional fact checks, original articles on media bias and breaking/important news stories.
- PoliticoNonpartisan, Washington-based political journalism organization that serves as the one-stop shop for the fastest, most in-depth coverage of the White House, Congress, politics and policy.
- SnopesThe definitive Internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation.