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GEOSC 40: The Sea Around Us

Dr. Laura Guertin

The Information Cycle

The information cycle is the progression of media coverage of a newsworthy event. Understanding the information cycle can help you determine what kind of information you are likely to find about your topic. This video from UNLV's Lied Library shows how an event can unfold in the information cycle. 

 

Evaluating Information and Using Popular vs. Scholarly Sources

Evaluating Information for your Information Need

Evaluating Information is important not only to know that the information you are referencing is credible and reliable, but that it fits the information need that you have. For this class, we are looking for timely information from reputable sources. Be sure you are using sources from this Library Guide and that they fall within the date range specified. If your source doesn't fit the criteria stated in the assignment, you should not use it and find a source that is applicable for the assignment. 

One way to evaluate an article's trustworthiness is the S.I.F.T. method

  • Stop
    • Before you read or share information, take a moment to pause and reflect.
    • Consider your initial emotional reaction, especially to sensational headlines, as this can be a sign of misinformation.
    • Ask yourself if you know and trust the website or source of the information. If you don't, proceed to the next steps.
  • Investigate the Source
    • Find out about the source before you read its content.
    • Use "lateral reading" by opening new browser tabs to search for information about the author or publishing website.
    • Check for the author's credentials, the publisher's reputation, and any potential biases or agenda.
    • Wikipedia can be a useful starting point for a quick overview of a publication's history and reputation.
  • Find Better Coverage
    • If you are unsure about the reliability of the source, look for other sources discussing the same claim.
    • Compare the information to what is being reported by trusted, high-quality sources, which you can build a mental library of over time.
    • Use fact-checking sites like PolitiFact or Snopes to see if the claim has already been debunked.
    • The goal is to understand the broader expert consensus on the topic, not just to find a second opinion.
  • Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media to the Original Context
    • Much of what appears online, especially on social media, has been stripped of its original context.
    • Trace the information back to its original source—such as a specific study, original reporting, or statement—by following hyperlinks or doing a quick search.
    • This is especially important for images and videos, where a reverse image search can reveal where and when the media first appeared.
    • Check if the information was fairly and accurately represented or taken out of context to mislead the audience. 

Popular Sources vs. Scholarly Sources

A "popular source" is written for a general audience, often found in magazines, newspapers, or general websites, and is typically not peer-reviewed, while a "scholarly source" is written by experts in a field, published in academic journals, and usually undergoes a rigorous peer-review process, providing in-depth analysis and citations to support claims. 

Key differences:

  • Author Credentials:

    Popular sources often have journalists or staff writers as authors, whereas scholarly sources are written by researchers with advanced degrees in their field. 

  • Peer Review:

    Popular sources typically do not undergo peer review, while scholarly sources are rigorously reviewed by other experts in the field before publication. 

  • Citations:

    Popular sources rarely include citations, while scholarly sources extensively cite their sources to provide credibility. 

  • Writing Style:

    Popular sources use simpler language and may include more opinionated content, while scholarly sources use technical terminology and focus on presenting factual evidence. 

  • Audience:

    Popular sources target the general public, while scholarly sources are aimed at experts within a specific field. 

Examples:

*Note that the links to example sources go through Penn State University Libraries' subscriptions, so they may look differently than you are used to.