Research Guides: Information Literacy and Technological Agility Shared Competency (ILTA): Outcome 3: Evaluation

Outcome 3: Evaluation

Definition: Evaluate materials in context.

Indicators	Exemplary	Developing	Emergent	Not Evident
3.1 Applies evaluation criteria to determine the quality of information.	Applies all evaluation criteria relevant to a given topic, subject, domain, or purpose.	Applies most evaluation criteria relevant to a given topic, subject, domain, or purpose.	Applies one evaluation criterion relevant to a given topic, subject, domain, or purpose.	Does not apply relevant evaluation criteria.
3.2 Selects or excludes information based on relevant evaluation criteria.	Selects or excludes information with a specific justification based on relevant evaluation criteria.	Selects or excludes information with a broad justification based on relevant evaluation criteria.	Selects or excludes information without justification based on relevant evaluation criteria.	Does not select or exclude information based on relevant evaluation criteria.

Common Artifacts, Activities, and Tools: Evaluation methods (CRAAP, SIFT, IF I APPLY, ACTUP, etc.); Identify subject-specific criteria; authority; Source evaluation worksheet; Annotated bibliography

Sample Activities for this Outcome

ACT UP Worksheet (SU Libraries)
Developed by Michelle Mitchell, Reference & Instruction Librarian
Evaluating Sources Methodologies
Slide deck summarizing how the evaluation of sources has changed.

"ACT UP: Evaluating Sources and Pushing Against Privilege" with Dawn Stahura from Salem State University
Stahura considers source evaluation and fact checking as forms of activism and social justice work, and highlighted the myths circulating about COVID-19 as an example of the life and death nature of mis-and dis-information.
4-step Strategy for Evaluating Online Sources
This learning module will help students find and critically evaluate online sources for class discussions and assignments and form unbiased judgments and decisions.
Annotated Bibliographies: Shining a Light on Source Evaluation with the BEAM Method
This lesson plan Uses Joseph Bizup’s BEAM Method from the realm of rhetoric studies to help students think about how sources are used and adds an additional layer of support. This support bridges the gap between a student recognizing a source is generally related to their topic, and thinking critically about how that source is used to answer a research question.
Annotated Bibliography Assignment Assessment
Sample Excel sheet for recording multiple variables and characteristics when assessing student Annotated Bibliography assignments.
IF I APPLY (source evaluation tool)
Often we seek information that confirms our own thoughts and feelings towards a topic. This is not research. Research and learning comes from finding sources that speak to the truth of a topic, no matter how uncomfortable it is. Only by keeping personal biases in check can you begin to vet information for credibility. These steps will help you find sources that are credible and reliable in your research process.
Lateral Reading: Respond, Review, Reflect
The goal of this activity is to help students start to think critically about the evaluation strategies that they have learned and whether they support the effective evaluation of information. Students will learn about the lateral reading strategy for evaluation and compare it to their existing evaluation process.
Putting S.I.F.T. To Work
This Worksheet is based on Mike Caulfield’s S.I.F.T. Method. Students will first need to have a familiarity with that. I highly recommend the “S.I.F.T. For Teachers” video playlist on his YouTube channel and/or his website.
Scholarship is Not Neutral: Using Positionality Statements for Source Evaluation
This lesson plan introduces the concept of positionality statements to help students understand that scholars do not leave their identities and life experiences behind when they conduct research. Students practice a new way to evaluate and understand the perspective–and limitations–that scholars bring to their research.
True or False: Authority is Constructed and Contextual
The goal of this activity is to help students develop a broader understanding how authority is determined and what types of sources are considered appropriate in different contexts. It is also intended to help address some of the misconceptions that students have related to the source evaluation process.

Sample Reflective Annotated Bibliography
This is a sample of an annotatted bibliography that includes a reflection on how the source was found and evaluated