Purpose of the Evaluating Sources Section
These resources can be incorporated into a lesson plan on helping students to make sense of, and evaluate the strength of, their resources.
Classroom Learning Activities
- Evaluate a news StoryThe attached document is an assignment for evaluating a news story. Students are asked to locate a news story and then evaluate it based on CRAAP prompts.
- Fake News One-ShotA 50 minute one-shot or seminar class on fake news tied to source evaluation. Examination of the factors at play in the creation of misinformation (filter bubbles, echo chambers, stereotypes, confirmation bias); insight into how to select sources; tools and strategies for evaluating content of stories (PoliticFact, FactCheck.org, etc.), authors, and news outlets.
- Evaluating Sources Lesson PlanA 20 minute activity on evaluating sources using tabloids.
- Researching the Expert ExerciseThis assignment can be done in class. It asks students to evaluate several claims, then research the author of each claim to determine if he/she is credible. Factors for a person's credibility are provided.
- Evaluating Claims - Facebook EditionThis lesson has students use credible sources to support or debunk a claim (pseudoscientific claim or conspiracy theory). Students are required to explain why the sources they are using are credible. Details available at CORA site.
- Example Websites for Classroom EvaluationList of sites that you can use when discussing authority, purpose, content, objectivity, etc. with your students.
- Activity for Comparing News SitesStudents are asked to compare two articles, one from Reuters and another from BiPartisan Review, reporting on the same event. They compare how the content is presented in order to determine its credibility. Further details are available at the CORA site.
Resources For Your Powerpoint Presentations
These resources can be easily added to a classroom presentation. They include short videos and infographics.
- Infographic and Video - CRAAP2.5 minute video elaborates on the CRAAP test.
- Infographic - 15 Ways to Tell if Science News Story is HogwashGreat infographic with features described in length. Could easily be reviewed in class or provided as supplementary material.
- Video - Evaluating Sources for CredibilityWhat does it mean for a source to be credible? How can you tell? 3 minute video from NCSU.
- Video - Reading and Comprehending Scientific Articles5 minute video from UMN that does a nice job explaining each section of an article and providing tips on reading them effectively.
- Infographic - How Science Can go Off the RailsA really cool interactive map that walks you through the funnel of a research study, from funding to output. At each step along the way, statistics are provided that show the quantity of studies that do things the 'right' way.
Resources for CANVAS or Course Guides
These resources are supplementary materials that include self-directed learning modules, longer videos, and library guides. Feel free to use in your presentations or as reference materials for students pre/post class.
General factors to consider when evaluating a resource:
- Libguide - PACAC MethodCornell Libguide (Ezra's diary). Contains MANY factors to consider when evaluating, plus the PACAC- Purpose, Authority, Currency, Accuracy, Content
- Checklist - Critical Appraisal and AnalysisCUL libguide that lists 10 factors to consider when evaluating a source and its content.
- Tutorial - How to evaluate web resourcesThis interactive tutorial from the U. of Arizona walks users through sample sources and asks students to answer whether or not each source is credible, and why.
- Libguide - Evaluating Web PagesA CUL libguide that walks users through the evaluation categories when reviewing websites and documents.
- Checklist - Evaluating Health Info. on InternetNIH Q&A when evaluating online health claims.
- Tutorial - How to Read Scientific PapersInteractive online tutorial that student can explore in less than 5 minutes. Student can click through to learn only about sections of paper that she/he needs help with.
- Libguide - Fake news, alternative facts and misinformationCUL Libguide that accompanies instruction on fake news.
Evaluation rubrics that instructors can use when grading the quality of a student's bibliography:
- Rubric - Source EvaluationNice comprehensive rubric that instructor can use when ranking source quality
- Rubric - Information EvaluationA second rubric option from the U of K that ranks the following factors: authority, accuracy, relevance, currency, and objectivity.
Interesting contextual resources:
- Video - Industry Bias by John Oliver11 minute video, but captivating look at industry bias in science.
- Article - How Industry Can Shape ScienceVox article that explains how the Mars company has sponsored hundreds of scientific studies to show cocoa is good for you.