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Evaluating credibility of information on the internet or Web

It is important to evaluate Internet resources critically, as not everything you read online is reliable and true. Anyone can create a website, which means many websites lack the quality controls (e.g. editing and fact checking) that are used in publishing other types of resources (e.g. scholarly journals).

It is your responsibility to evaluate the websites you use for your research. Be vigilant in choosing websites with reliable and good quality information. How to Evaluate information or Resources on the internet, the CRAAP Test is a useful guide to evaluating resources. CRAAP is an acronym for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose and it represents the general categories of criteria that can be used to evaluate the information you find as explained below;

Currency: When was the information published or last updated? Have newer articles been published on your topic? Are links or references to other sources up to date? Is your topic in an area that changed rapidly, like technology or popular culture?

Relevance: Does the information answer your research question?
Does the information meet the stated requirements of the assignment?
Is the information too technical or too simplified for you to use?
Does the source add something new to your knowledge of the topic?

Authority: What are the author’s credentials?
Is the author affiliated with an educational institution or prominent organization?
Can you find information about the author from reference sources or the Internet?
Do other books or authors cite the author?

Accuracy: The reliability, accuracy, and correctness of the content.
Where does the information come from?
Is the information supported by proof?
Has the information been evaluated or refereed?
Can you confirm any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
Does the language or nature appear unbiased and free of emotion?

Purpose: Is the author’s purpose to sell, persuade, entertain, or inform?
Is there an obvious bias or prejudice? Are alternative points of view presented? Does the author omit important facts or data that might disprove the claim? Does the author use strong or emotional language?

Conclusion

It is generally accepted that the current information aspect places an increasing burden on the information consumer. The lack of editorial control in a web environment, coupled with personalized search engine results and filter bubbles of disinformation on social media makes obvious the need for keepers to grow our guidance to teach and encourage fact-checking behaviors and practices.

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