Authority is constructed and contextual and sources indicate the author's expertise and credibility.
(http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/issues/infolit/Framework_ILHE.pdf)
Evaluating information is a critical part of the research process and is a valuable skill that will help you in everyday use of information.
Developing this skill now will help you long after you have graduated.
Many criteria can be used to evaluate information, and we will focus on three:
Authority
Who is responsible for writing the material? What are their credentials?
Relevance
How does this information relate to my topic? Will it help me to make a point?
Timeliness
Was the information researched and written at a time apporpriate to your topic?
Use the CRAAP Test to critique any kind of information:
The CRAAP Test is a common checklist used to evaluate an information resource.
Currency: The timeliness of the web page.
Relevance: The uniqueness of the content and its importance for your needs.
Authority: The source of the web page.
Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the informational content.
Purpose: The presence of bias or prejudice/The reason the web site exists.
The CRAAP Test was created by Meriam Library at California State University, Chico.
Use the CRAAP Test to critique any kind of information:
The CRAAP Test is a common checklist used to evaluate an information resource.
Currency: The timeliness of the web page.
Relevance: The uniqueness of the content and its importance for your needs.
Authority: The source of the web page.
Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the informational content.
Purpose: The presence of bias or prejudice/The reason the web site exists.
The CRAAP Test was created by Meriam Library at California State University, Chico.
Not sure if the articles found are truthful or fake news? Try some of these fact checking websites:
Poynter Online "Extensive list of websites for journalists to discover facts about political candidates and a diverse array of respectable government and political websites".