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Short Learning Progamme: Part 2 - Advanced Information Literacy: Unit 5: Evaluation

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Being able to critically evaluate and asses literature is an important research skill. The Open University PROMPT criteria provides guides on how to critically evaluate literature.

 

 

 

  • The way in which information is presented has a significant influence on how information can be interpreted.
  • When information is poorly applied, the intended message can get lost and cause confusion. 
  • When evaluating information think about the following:

 

Relevance is an important aspect of assessing information quality.

  • There must be a link between the information and the information need you have identified
  • It may be a piece of high-quality information, but not relevant to the question you are asking or the scope of your search.

 

To enable you to draw conclusions from evidence, you need to be critical of the objectivity of authors you decide to use.

 

Consider the information produces as a result of the research method.

  • It is very important to identify the origins and the status of the piece of information, such as the identity and credentials of the author, sponsoring body, and source of information.
  • The ‘stable theory’ suggests that academic work is often valued highly just because it emanates from a prestigious research group or is published in a prestigious journal. So we should judge information on its own merits.

 

Consider the date when the information was produced or published. This can help you assess its quality and relevance. This is not as simple as saying that ‘good’ information must be up to date; it depends on your information need.