NATS 1700 - Computers, Information and Society: Information Literacy

PARCA Test

Evaluating information sources is critical to the process of academic research. The following are important considerations when looking at potential resources to see in what way they might be useful (or not) for your research.

Purpose:

Why does this resource exist?

• What is the purpose? Is it to teach, sell, promote, entertain?
• Do the author(s) make their intentions clear? Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, or personal biases?
• Is the information provided by the resource fact, opinion?
• Does it have a variety of viewpoints and arguments?  Do your sources reflect different genders, ages, ethnic groups, languages, nationalities, disciplines, etc.?

Authority:

Who wrote/produced/published the resource?

• Is the source published by an academic publisher or a reputable organization?
• Is an author clearly identified?  What are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations?
• Is the author qualified to write on the topic? Degrees, professional designations, professional accomplishments and experience are indicators of qualifications. 
• If it is a website, does the url reveal anything about the source (.com, .gov, .edu, .org)

Relevance:

Does the resource meet your needs?

• Is the information related to your topic?
• Does it support your viewpoint or provide an alternate one?
• Is the information and discussion at an appropriate level? Who is the intended audience (general population, scholars, practitioners etc.)?

Currency:

How current is the resource?

• When was the resource published or posted?
• Is this the most current version of this information available?
• Has the information been revised / updated? Is there proof of last update, publication date?
• Is currency of information a concern for your topic?

Accuracy:

Is the information in the resource reliable? 

• Are the author’s claims supported by evidence?
• Has the content been reviewed by other experts? Is it a peer-reviewed resource?
• Are the language and tone biased?
• Are there spelling or grammatical errors?

Appropriate tools for the job: 

Once you have determined the specific types of resources you need for the assignment, the next step is to choose the appropriate tools or databases to search. Review the following chart to help select possible search tools to use for each type of resource you need.

"Information literacy is a repertoire of understandings, practices, and dispositions focused on flexible engagement with the information ecosystem, underpinned by critical self-reflection. The repertoire involves finding, evaluating, interpreting, managing, and using information to answer questions and develop new ones; and creating new knowledge through ethical participation in communities of learning, scholarship, and practice." (ACRL, 2014)

Scholarship is a Conversation

Scholarship is a conversation refers to the idea of sustained discourse within a community of scholars or thinkers, with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of competing perspectives and interpretations.

Research as Inquiry

Research as Inquiry refers to an understanding that research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex questions whose answers develop new questions or lines of inquiry in any field.

Authority is Constructed and Contextual

Authority of information resources depends upon the resources’ origins, the information need, and the context in which the information will be used. This authority is viewed with an attitude of informed skepticism and an openness to new perspectives, additional voices, and changes in schools of thought.

Format as a Process

Format is the way tangible knowledge is disseminated. The essential characteristic of format is the underlying process of information creation, production, and dissemination, rather than how the content is delivered or experienced.

Searching as Exploration

Locating information requires a combination of inquiry, discovery, and serendipity. There is no one size fits all source to find the needed information. Information discovery is nonlinear and iterative, requiring the use of a broad range of information sources and flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding is developed.

Information has Value

Information has Value acknowledges that the creation of information and product derived from information requires a commitment of time, original thought, and resources that need to be respected by those seeking to use these products, or create their own based on the work of others. In addition, information may be valued more or less highly based on its creator, its audience/consumer, or its message.