ADV 100: Information Literacy: Evaluating Information

• How and why the source was created?
• At what stage in the information cycle might this source have been created? 
• Does this source meet your needs? 
• Is the information presented in the source objective? 
• Can you verify that the information presented is factual? Does the source cite other reliable sources? 
• Is the author or publisher a trusted authority for information in this category? 
• Is the information the most recent information available?

This chart shows WHEN information appears, it does not indicate whether the information is accurate. Keep in mind that information released right after an event may change as more is learned about the event. A primary source, like a video of an event taken by a bystander, may depict events accurately from the perspective of the bystander, but it does not have the benefit of context from other sources of information. 

The P.R.O.V.E.N. Method is an information evaluation tool that enables you to evaluate the usefulness of information on six key points: Purpose (why something was written), Relevance (how useful the information is), Objectivity (whether the information is biased), Verifiability (whether the information is factual), Expertise (credentials of the information creator), and Newness (recency of information). Download the PDF of the P.R.O.V.E.N. Method to learn how to use this tool.