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Information Literacy in the Core Workshop for Faculty

Sample Sources to Evaluate

Evaluate these sources using the RADAR framework in the context of this research question:  "Do video games cause violence in children?"

Featured Assignment: Source Evaluation

  • Step 1:  Use the RADAR framework to evaluate your sample sources.  Work with a neighbor to score the ESA (earned scholarly average) of your sources, then write the scores on the board.  This framework is not perfect and won't work well for all the sources, but give it your best shot anyway.  Make a note of any problems or ambiguities.

  • Step 2:  Think about how you would adapt RADAR to evaluate sources in your own discipline.  What kind of sources do you want your students to use and evaluate (i.e., primary?  empirical?)  Rank each aspect of RADAR based on how important each aspect is in your discipline.  Then, think about how you would construct an evaluation chart similar to RADAR that is more discipline-specific.

  • Big Group Discussion:  Report back to the larger group about your experience using the RADAR framework.  What qualities made the good sources good, and the bad ones bad?  How could you modify RADAR to work in your classes?

 

Adapted from:

Mandalios, J. (2013). RADAR: An approach for helping students evaluate Internet sources. Journal Of Information Science, 39, 470-478. doi:10.1177/0165551513478889

Meriam Library at California State University, Chico. (2010, September 17). Evaluating information-Applying the CRAAP test. Retrieved from http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf