Why Evaluate?
Ever feel like you're drowning in information? In our information-rich age, we have a wealth of information from various sources.
We need research skills such as information evaluation to help us use information effectively. Critically evaluating information allows us to select the most valuable sources--ones that are relevant and credible.
Identifying and using quality information sources will allow you to understand your topic better and add credibility to your analyses and conclusions.
Using Evaluation Criteria
Applying a set of standards to information sources will help you judge their credibility and relevancy. The evaluation process will depend on the purpose for which you are using the information. If you are settling a bet with a friend about the dates the Back to the Future movies came out you may not dedicate too much time to evaluating your sources. If, however, you are researching for an academic or professional project or looking for information to guide an important decision you will want to carefully scrutinize information sources before relying on them.
Good research involves using multiple sources of information. In addition to applying the CRAAP criteria, compare the information you find with that in other sources.
