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Evaluating Information Sources

Use this guide to discover some acronyms to remember when evaluating information sources - pick your favorite!

PROMPT

PROMPT      
Presentation      
Is the information clearly communicated?      
Look at language, writing style, structure and layout      
Relevance      
Does the information match your needs?      
Look at the introduction or overview – what is it mainly about?      
Objectivity      
Is the author's position of interest made clear?      
Do the writers state their position on the issue?      
Is the language emotive?      
Are there hidden, vested interests?      
Method      
Is it clear how the data was collected?      
Were the methods appropriate?      
How much data?      
Is it representative?      
Are there sources of bias?      
Provenance      
Is it clear where the information has come from?      
Can you identify authors or organisations?      
Are they well known?      
How was it published?      
Timeliness      
Is it clear when the information was produced?      
Does the date of the information meet requirements?      
Is the information obsolete?

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