M2S1-S3 – Evaluating the reliability of an online sources to better understand and support my argument

Author

ITC – Eduardo Linares and M. Begoña Arenas

Mini Project ID

ITCMP02

Description

The current prevalence of communication and information technologies in all the areas of our lives causes a huge increase of information shared in a digital form. The Internet is an important communication, information, business, advertising, and marketing media.

As we use internet sources more and more often, whether searching for information in connection with our everyday lives like shopping or conducting research in connection with our studies or jobs, to have the ability to better understand, evaluate and differentiate between reliable and unreliable sources has become an absolute must.

There are many techniques and ways how to find reliable sources and avoid the unreliable ones.

One of them is the C.R.A.P test. This test is based on considering a set of criteria.

Sector

Adult education (CPD)

Data

We are asking you to evaluate one website using the CRAAP Test Worksheet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_censorship

USE THE CRAAP TEST WORKSHEET

Use the following list to help you evaluate sources. Answer the questions as appropriate, and then rank each of the 5 parts from 1 to 10 (1 = unreliable, 10 = excellent). Add up the scores to give you an idea of whether you should you use the resource (and whether your boss would want you to!).

Currency: the timeliness of the information

When was the information published or posted?
Has the information been revised or updated?
Is the information current or out of date for your topic?
Are the links functional?

Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs

Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
Who is the intended audience?
Is the information at an appropriate level?
Have you looked at a variety of sources before choosing this one?
Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?

Authority: the source of the information

Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
Are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations given?
What are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations given?
What are the author’s qualifications to write on the topic?
Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address?
Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source?

Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content

Where does the information come from?
Is the information supported by evidence?
Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
Can you verify any of the information in another source?
Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion?
Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose: the reason the information exists

What is the purpose of the information?
Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
Is the information fact? opinion? Propaganda?
Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?

Model

CRAAP Model

Calculation

Total:

45 – 50 Excellent
40 – 44 Good
35 – 39 Average
30 – 34 Borderline Acceptable
Below 30 – Unacceptable

Solution

After this test, we advice you to consider some questions to ask yourself in regards to your research sources:

How does this source support my claim/argument?
What interesting topics of discussion does the research source discuss that I could potentially address in my writing? Remember, we want to ENGAGE in a conversation in our writing—both with our reader and with our material we are using.
What source do I have that negates my claim/argument? What source challenges my argument/claim? If you don’t have one, get one—you want to present a balanced view, and you can’t do that without addressing the opposing viewpoints your audience may have. When you discuss them and then override them, THEN you establish authority as a writer and YOU are IN CONTROL of your material, not the other way around.
Is this source focused on a different area/aspect of my topic than my other research sources? You don’t want to have 5 sources all saying the same thing; find some variety in your research so you can view your topic from many different perspectives.
Am I controlling my research, rather than my research controlling me? Meaning, am I being intentional in my research? Am I focusing on my main points of my argument and intentionally finding resources that will help support MY points?