chapter 4

How Do You Evaluate

Information?

Chapter 4

4 | 2Copyright 2012 Wadsworth © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Chapter Topics

• The Importance of Critical Analysis• Evaluating the Resource• Evaluating Authority• Evaluating Currency• Evaluating the Content• Evaluating Multimedia


The Big Picture

To be accurate and credible, your information must be sound and from reliable sources. Chapter 4 focuses on the importance of evaluating information and information sources and the criteria used to assess the credibility and appropriateness of that information.


Learning Objectives

• Use a set of criteria to evaluate information and information sources.

• Identify specific criteria that should be used to evaluate Web pages for credibility and appropriateness.


Case In Point Questions

• How will you begin to sort through the millions of Web sites devoted to nutrition?

• Realizing the contradictory information on nutrition presented on the Internet, how will you determine which information is credible and which is not?

• How well do you think you will be able to judge which information you find is accurate and that which is inaccurate?


Case In Point Questions

• Do you think you will be able to successfully select the kinds of resources that will be appropriate to support your information? If so, on what criteria will you base your selection? If not, what do you need to know to make an effective choice?

• How will you find data that you can translate into information that your patients will understand, knowing that most of your patients have limited backgrounds in health-related topics, especially nutrition?


Benefits of Effective Information Analysis

• Information used will be accurate.

• Decisions will be more appropriate.

• Your credibility is increased.


Evaluating the Resource

Elements to be evaluated:• How information is published

– Timelines– Types of publications (how information is

communicated)


Publication Timeline

• Influences of timeline• Considerations

– How important is up-to-the-minute information? (history versus technology example)

– How important is behind-the scenes information?– How can you use both current and progressively

older information?– What are the best resources for each of these?


The Publication Timeline


Journals and Magazines

• Types of Publications– Scholarly journals– Trade publications– Popular magazines

• Credibility Factors to Consider – Author– Sources of information– Article review process– Examples of each type of publication – Primary and secondary sources


Credibility Factors to Consider

• Author• Sources of information• Article review process• Examples of each type of publication• Primary and secondary sources


Organization of a Scholarly Article

• Abstract• Keywords• Introduction• Literature Review• Methods

• Results• Discussion• Conclusion• References


Evaluating Authority

• The Author• Sponsorship• Expertise• Academic background and credentials• Work-related or other experience• Licensure or certification• Affiliation• Other publications• Contact information


The Publisher

• University press• Trade press• Governmental agency• Not-for-profit organization• Specialized press• An individual


Sponsor or Owner

• Meaning of sponsorship• Types of URLs• URL extension• Owner’s reason for presenting the information


Evaluating Currency

• Print Material • Time elapsed from writing to publication

– Age of references– Date and edition of a publication

• Web sites– Date of most recent revision– Web site stability


Evaluating Content

• Elements to consider– Intended audience– Purpose and scope – Objectivity– Accuracy and verifiability– Overall quality


Evaluating Multimedia

Use same criteria as for other information• Evaluate the resource.• Evaluate the authority.• Evaluate the currency of the resource and information.• Evaluate the content itself.

• Additional criteria• Functionality• Usability• Accessibility


Chapter Summary

• The Importance of Critical Analysis• Evaluating Resources• Evaluating Authority• Evaluating Currency• Evaluating the Content• Evaluating Multimedia

chapter 4

Education

wadsworth cengage learning

uptotheminute information

judgewhich information

older information

scenes information

learning objectives

information mustbe sound

publication timelinecopyright