Course Guide: CMST 101 / 110
Analyze Information to Ensure Credibility
Watch this short (1:32) video as an introduction to the importance of evaluating information.
Perspective of Information Sources
Objectivity
When we talk about objectivity, we are referring to the author's objectives in producing the information. Think about why the source exists, and how author or organization biases might influence the information you are evaluating. What is their motivation?
For example, if you are gathering information about cars with the least emissions, you might get specs from the manufacturer, or data from an environmental-focused organization, but including information from EPA's automotive trends reports would add strong objective data to your speech.
Also keep in mind that completely "objective" and "unbiased" sources are hard to find. Most sources have bias because humans with diverse backgrounds and perspectives created them. While it is often good to avoid sources with questionable motives, authoritative sources with strong perspectives are not always bad to include in your work.
A well-rounded speech will often benefit from including information from multiple authoritative perspectives. Learn more about how to achieve this below.
Integrating Different Points of View
Especially in persuasive speeches, including one or more sources that provide different viewpoints on a topic can be quite impactful. This will demonstrate that you have thoroughly researched your topic and have considered multiple perspectives.
If you are trying to persuade your audience to adopt your point of view or act on a controversial issue, examining both sides can strengthen your stance on the argument.
If you want to incorporate both points of view in your speech, you can acknowledge the bias of the source. For example, a presenter might state:
- On the website of the National Rifle Association, an organization in favor of gun rights, it states that...
- In contrast, on the Brady Campaign website, an organization that advocates gun control, it states that...
Determining if Information is Accurate
How do we really know that a given piece of information is accurate? While there is no single rule that guarantees the correctness of an article or website's information, there are ways to increase your confidence that the information is factually correct.
If you encounter statistics or quotes, look for a source. Can that statistic or quote be verified by a reliable second source? Even if verified, is it being used in a misleading way?
Quality sources will cite their statistical data so researchers can go to the original source. Although citing the source of the data is critical and can add authority to the information you are sharing, without proper evaluation that data can still be misleading.
Misleading graphs (or distorted graphs) are common online. Truncated graphs, while perfectly appropriate in many cases, are a particularly easy way to deceive.
Below, Graph 1 shows dramatic change across groups A through E.
Notice that the Y-axis does not begin at 0 in Graph 1. If the Y-axis did begin at 0, we would visually see much less of a difference between groups, as shown in Graph 2 below.
Understanding the Importance of Context
Quotations
By Gilbert Stuart - http://www.cowboybooks.com.au/pictures/JohnAdams.jpg, Public Domain, Link
Quotations can also be taken out of context, as in this example:
"This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it."
-John Adams
This quote has appeared on many websites and articles, and it seems clear in meaning. So, how could such an unambiguous quote still deceive us? If we look at the full context, which appeared in a letter Adams once wrote to Thomas Jefferson, it shows a quite different meaning:
"Twenty time, in the course of my late reading, have I been on the point of breaking out, 'this would be the nest of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!!!!' But in this exclamation, I should have been as fanatical as Bryant or Cleverly. Without religion, this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in public company -- I mean hell."
-John Adams
No matter what one thinks of Adam's perspective, his views are clearly misrepresented in the original quote, despite it being taken word-for-word from his writings.
Currency: Considering the Age of Information
Ask yourself...
- When was the information published or produced? Will dated information still be relevant to my project?
- With web-based articles, how many dead links appear on the site? Does the site still receive regular updates appropriate to the content?
Your projects may require up-to-date information. For example, if you are researching present-day population statistics, 1990 census figures will not do. If you are researching public sentiment on a social issue, old data is worse than useless -- it may be downright deceptive. When we talk about currency, we are talking about how current the information is. For some projects, older information might be fine but for many topics, currency is a major consideration.
That said, sometimes the only information available is a bit more aged than is ideal. In those cases, we make a judgement call. Often, though, we can track down more recent statistics with a little work.
If you are looking at data that seems too outdated, check the source of the data. For example, if it happens to be governmental statistics, visit the original source the data came from. There is a good chance you can find newer statistics there.
Sources that Reflect Expertise and Credibility
When we quote from an author or article in a college-level speech or paper, we are presuming that the source in some way strengthens the argument we are trying to make or provides some insight into our research question. But this requires that the sources we use have some kind of authority on our topics. And how do we know that they do?
Our education and life experience provide each of us with unique expertise, but not all expertise is relevant to a particular research question. A famed political scientist may be an authority on game theory, but that hardly qualifies him or her to conduct heart surgery or draft technical drawings. The quality of your research very much depends on the authority of your sources, so it is important we learn what we can about the authors we cite and what qualifies them to speak authoritatively on a given topic.
When you evaluate an article or website, consider these factors:
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What is the author or organization's credentials?
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Are any credentials even provided? If not, why do they deserve to be cited?
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Is the author qualified to write about this topic? What is their area of expertise? Is the author affiliated with an educational or research institution?
What makes a piece of information authoritative can vary from discipline to discipline and be based on context. For example, an author may be an authority on a topic because of extensive experience or education. Even without deep experience or education, an author may bring authority based on experience, such as witnessing a major event. In both cases, their authority is contextual. A physics professor may have authority when writing within their field, yet be far less authoritative when writing about business or law.
The text on evaluating information, objectivity, and coverage is adapted from the open educational resource, Information Literacy Concepts. Hisle, D., & Webb, K. K. (2017). Information Literacy Concepts. https://thescholarship.ecu.edu/handle/10342/6411
