THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT
INFORMATION: RELIABILITY
Kevin Klipfel, Information Literacy Coordinator, California State University, Chico.
kklipfel@csuchico.edu
Thinking Critically About Sources


Is this source reliable?
Is this the best source for my current purposes?
Scholarly vs. “Popular” Sources
Style
“Popular” Articles
“Scholarly” Articles
Written by?
Non-Experts
(Usually. For example, a
newspaper or magazine
reporter.)
Experts in the field
(For example: a professor
or research scientist.)
Written for?
A general audience
Other experts in the field
Written How?
General, “Everyday”
language
Technical, “Scholarly”
language
Scholarly vs. “Popular” Sources
Reliability
“Popular” Articles
“Scholarly” Articles
Editorial Review?
Limited – Non-expert
Rigorous – “Peer Reviewed”
by other scholars
References?
Not Usually – though
sometimes the article will
be based on scholarship
that is mentioned in the
article
Yes – most claims the author
makes
are
explicitly
verified through footnotes
and citations
Trustworthy?
It depends - look for
articles based in
scholarship)
Infallible? No. But pretty
much as good as it gets
“Scholarly” Articles and Reliability

Scholarly articles are typically preferred for
research because they’re the most likely to be
reliable or trustworthy.
 You
can easily verify what they say (with footnotes,
references, etc.).
 They provide empirical evidence for the stuff they say
(especially in the natural and social sciences).
 They argue, using the rules of logic, for the stuff they
say (especially in the humanities).
Other Types of Sources

Other types of don’t necessarily do this:
 Editorials
may just express the options of an editor
(without being backed by reasons and verifiable
evidence).
 Popular sources (like magazine articles) may not be
peer reviewed and do not usually provide references.
 Television and political pundits– how “scholarly” are
they”?
Reliability Factors: Verifiability

Verifiability: maybe the most important criterion.
 Can
I check (i.e. “verify”) what this author is saying.
 Are they providing evidence for their claims.
 Are they arguing for their positions?
 Is
the evidence they use in support of their arguments good
evidence?
 Are their arguments logically sound?

Underlying question: Is the author merely stating their opinions or
is there good reason to believe what they say?
Currency: Is this Source Relevant?


How recent is the source?
Have there been new breakthroughs on this subject
since my article has been written? If not, the article
is probably current.
Reliability Factors: Pedigree

Who wrote it?
 What
is the affiliation of the author? A university?
Newspaper? Anonymous blogger?

Where does the article appear?
 Scholarly
journal? Is it peer reviewed? Is it a top journal
in its field?
Pedigree: Top Journals
Is it Peer Reviewed?




There’s no way to know for sure just by looking at an
article.
The most sure way you can find out is by using one of
our library resources: Ulrich’s Web.
With books, the best thing to do is see if it was
published by a reputable academic press (e.g.,
University of California, Oxford University Press, etc.).
If you’re having trouble figuring out if a book or an
article is peer-reviewed, the best thing to do is ask a
librarian.
Reliability: A Matter of Degree

The best way to think of reliability is that reliability
falls on a continuum.
Tastiness … A Continuum.
Eating In-N-Out Burger!
PB & J
Reliability … A Continuum.
Peer Reviewed
“Popular”
Articles Based in Research
Reliability Continuum … with examples.
Article
from OK
Journal
in field
Popular article citing lots of scientific studies
Peer Reviewed
Article from Top Journal in field
That Cosmo Article
Contact a Librarian

And if you’re having any trouble evaluating
information, don’t forget to contact a librarian:
we’re more than happy to help!
For questions about this module, or how to incorporate this module into specific courses, contact:
Kevin Klipfel, Information Literacy Coordinator, California State University, Chico. Contact: kklipfel@csuchico.edu