Resource evaluation

Evaluating resources is an important part of information literacy. The American Library Association defines an information literate individual as someone who: 

• knows when information is needed
• has the skills to locate and evaluate information
• knows how to use information for their benefit 

 

Author reliability
Who is the author of the material? Can they be contacted or traced?
Is the author a specialist in the field? Remember to differentiate between an author and an editor.
Who is the publisher? What have they published previously?
 

Unbiased approach
What is the purpose of the resource?
How accurate is the information presented in the resource?
Does the resource approach its subject matter from more than one viewpoint? 

Recent information
When was the resource published? Does the resource reference other quality resources? 

If the resource is web-based, when was the page last updated?