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Subject Guide: Information Literacy

Can I Trust This?

We all gain information freely from the Web and other sources. But can we trust it?

The ability to understand, evaluate, and source information is known as being Information Literate (IL). We live in an age where it is not only incredibly easy to access information, but also to publish (make public) information. Being Information Literate is more important than ever. 

    Diagnostic Questions

    If you can’t easily answer most of these questions, then your information may not be trustworthy. Before sharing information you have found online, or citing it in a paper, try asking yourself these questions:

    • Who created this (author, director, etc.)?
    • Who published this?
    • When was it created?
    • Who was it created for (audience)?
    • Why was it created?
    • Are there other sources that support it?
    • Is it of good quality (grammar, visuals, format, etc.)?
    • Can I cite it?
    Information Checking
    For a quick summary, click here and here to learn about methods for evaluating information. These can be handy guides for you as you do research and info gathering. Information checking is a valuable tool to help you become Information Literate. As students pursuing Christian higher education, we have a responsibility to not facilitate the sharing of false or misleading information. We want to be seekers and sharers of truth. 
    Helpful Resources

    Sometimes we hear or read something, but need a quick way to discover if it is true or not. These fact-checking websites are here to help, but remember that they often have biases and political leanings that may be contrary to your own:

    Spot a Fake...

    Finally, here is some practice for you. Take a look at the following links. Believe it or not, BOTH of these websites are fake! Would you be able to tell if you were browsing these on the Web? 

    1. Mankato, MN
    2. All About Explorers

    EasyBib (who I mention on the Research and Writing Help page) have created these sites, and give tips to help you learn how to spot the “fake website clues”. Check it out here.