Library Guides: IST 431: The Information Environment: Research Resources

Evaluating and Citing Resources

Evaluating Sources Video
This video will help you critically evaluate sources using these five criteria: authority,
accuracy, currency, relevance, and objectivity.
IF I APPLY
IF I APPLY is a method for identifying bias, both personal and external, and then using this as a baseline for determining the credibility of a resource. Information is neither good nor bad. Resources, and information, have a time and place when they will be useful for a specific topic or need.
IF I APPLY is not meant to be used as a checklist, but rather as a tool to facilitate and guide critical thinking.
The Open Web Tutorial
Not all information on the open web is free or trustworthy. By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to: Recognize open and hidden web resources; Determine if a site on the open web is reliable; and Analyze resources on the open web.
Citation and Writing Guides
Information for APA, MLA, and other citation styles as well as tools to manage your citations

Navigate to Padlet (https://padlet.com/ccc143/IST431)
Spend a bit of time finding a possible source you'll use to explore your topic further
Use the "plus" icon on the bottom right to add resources

Think Tanks

A think tank is an organization that gathers a group of interdisciplinary scholars to perform research around particular policies, issues or ideas. Topics addressed in think tanks can cover a wide range, including social policy, public policy, economic policy, political strategy, culture and technology.

Below is a small sample of US think tank websites:

New America
New America focuses on a range of public policy issues, including national security studies, technology, asset building, health, gender, energy, education, and the economy.
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation is a U.S. nonprofit public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C., focused on public policy surrounding industry and technology.
The Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world

Penn State University Libraries

IST 431: The Information Environment

Additional Resources

Evaluating and Citing Resources

Think Tanks