2.1.13 Critically evaluating information
This activity will guide you to understand how to critically evaluate a source.
Sample assignment question: In the Australian mass media, climate change is often described as being the rise in global temperatures. However, some would argue that climate change is not just about global warming. Discuss, citing example from the last 10 years.
Take a look at this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_coverage_of_climate_change
Reference: Wikipedia. (2015). Media coverage of climate change. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_coverage_of_climate_change
When deciding if you should you use this information in an academic essay, consider the following four statements:
1. The information in this article is current.
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Correct! The dates of references used and how recently the information was published indicate currency. Look for a “recently updated” or “last modified” date, usually at the bottom of the web page.
No, think again. The dates of references used and how recently the information was published indicate currency. Look for a “recently updated” or “last modified” date, usually at the bottom of the web page.
2. The information is relevant to the essay.
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Not quite. You must consider multiple factors when deciding relevance – is the information appropriate in an academic setting; is it secondary, primary, or tertiary, and is it relevant to my topic? It is OK to use tertiary information when starting out though, because it helps develop your understanding.
Correct! You must consider multiple factors when deciding relevance – is the information appropriate in an academic setting; is it secondary, primary, or tertiary, and is it relevant to my topic? It is OK to use tertiary information when starting out though, because it helps develop your understanding.
3. The information has potential biases.
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Correct! A balanced discussion that considers multiple views is an indicator that a source has minimal bias. However, as we don’t know who the author is, we cannot be sure it is free from bias. You would have to explore it further and compare it to other sources before being sure.
Not quite. A balanced discussion that considers multiple views is an indicator that a source has minimal bias. However, as we don’t know who the author is, we cannot be sure it is free from bias. You would have to explore it further and compare it to other sources before being sure.
4. The article has lots of references so it must be valid.
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Incorrect. While the information appears to be well-founded and supported by evidence, you will have to look closer at the references for reliability and bias before deciding if the information is valid. The number of references is not an indicator of validity.
Correct! While the information appears to be well-founded and supported by evidence, you will have to look closer at the references for reliability and bias before deciding if the information is valid. The number of references is not an indicator of validity.
Well done! You have finished this section.
Continue to the next section, 2.2 Using sources effectively.
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