Evaluating information is an essential part of the research process. You need to be sure that the information you have found is reliable.

This section will cover::

• How to evaluate information sources before you rely on them for your research
• Why Google is not the best place to find information
• Fact-checking and fake news.

When you search, remember that not all resources contain quality information. Some information may be inaccurate, biased, misleading, outdated or irrelevant.

It is important to critically evaluate the information you find to ensure that you use the best sources in your assignments. One way to do this is to use a series of questions or criteria, such as the C.R.A.A.P. Test (.pdf), developed by the California State University, Chico.

C.R.A.A.P. stands for:

 Watch this video from the University of South Australia to learn more about how to evaluate information.

University of South Australia (23 October 2017) ‘Study Help: Evaluating Information’ [video], University of South Australia, YouTube website, accessed 22 February 2023. https://youtu.be/2U3dkTLjuvE

 Activity - exploring a journal article

 Activity - use the CRAAP test to evaluate information sources.

Google is a great starting point for your assessment and the only place to find certain types of information such as government and organisational reports and policy documents. However, not all Google sources are trustworthy.  
 

Watch this video to find out why Google isn't the only place you should search for information.

RMIT University Library (20 July 2021) ‘Why can’t I just google it?’ [video], RMIT University Library, YouTube website, accessed 22 February 2023. https://youtu.be/Ayw4Gfxa5ws

Be aware that Google filters and personalises your search results based on your location and search history.  Even in Incognito mode, your search results retain some filtering and will be similar. 

DuckDuckGo provides private, unfiltered searching.  You can deselect Australia to search more globally, or select a particular region to focus your results.

It is important to evaluate web sources to ensure that they are reliable.  In addition to the C.R.A.A.P. test, the following methods are particularly useful for critically reviewing information found on the web.

The SIFT method

• STOP before you read, share or act on the information
• INVESTIGATE the source
• FIND better or other coverage
• TRACE claims, quotes and media back to the original context.

Lateral Reading is one way of doing this.

• Before diving (vertically) into a website of interest, open new tabs (laterally) on your browser and start researching the author or owner of the site, and verify the information from other sources.

When researching your assignments, you also need to be wary of deliberately created misinformation and 'fake news'. Some news stories that appear to be genuine may actually be hoaxes or lies created with the intention to deceive readers and viewers.

This infographic from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) provides some useful strategies to help you evaluate news stories and determine which are legitimate and which are not.

Click on the image to open the accessible PDF version of the infographic.

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) 2017, How to spot fake news, image, accessed 3 December 2019, <https://www.ifla.org/publications/node/11174>.

Fact-checking websites also help to combat the dissemination of 'fake news'.

Some recommended websites include:

If you are interested in learning more, RMIT University also has a Fact Checking library guide and offers a Fact Check Credential.