If you've ever been to one of our library instruction classes, you'll probably remember how much emphasis we put on evaluating information resources, whether it be from a book, a library database or from a website online. It's especially important to be vigilant when using online resources since anyone can publish pretty much anything on the internet.
It's also important to remember that the research skills you learn in library instruction are not just meant to help you get a good grade in your class or on a final paper. These skills are meant to be harnessed and used as a life long skill.
Why? Well, take for consideration a recent hoax put out by a Swedish Production company called Day 4.
To test users on their ability to fact check information they find online, they created a fake story about a new high-tech screw that was being developed by Apple and started sharing it via social media sites like Imgur and Reddit. Everyone fell for it. Within twelve hours the story had circulated the internet as truth.
In can be very easy to fool and mislead users on the internet because we have a bad habit of wanting to believe everything without question. Fact checking and evaluating a resource can take some time, but it is so critical. If you can't verify a source, find out who created it and where it came from then it's best not to use it.
Here is a really good check sheet created by CyberSmart: 21st Century Skills For Education to help you when evaluating an online resource. You may want to check-out our library handout on evaluating online resources too.
