why critically appraise?
It is important to remember that not all information is created equal. Some resources have already been subjected to a careful evaluation and selection process, having gone through either peer review, or some other sort of editorial process. Others however, do not undergo such scrutiny. The Web, as an example, is highly unmoderated and unregulated, meaning that anyone can publish anything on the Web. Erroneous, misleading information is just as accessible as up-to-date, scientifically validated information. As such, when considering which resources you would like to study thoroughly, and which ones to discard, it is important to give thought to not only how relevant the information is, but also how reliable it is.
So can you trust the information that you find? Is it accurate and consistent across the literature, verifiable by other sources? How can you tell? Thinking critically about your information sources allows you to make the best decisions regarding what information is worth examining closer, and make better informed judgements on what to believe and place confidence in.
When appraising your information and its sources, you should always consider the:
- Relevance of the resource in terms of your information need
- Host and author of the resource
- Intended purpose and audience of the resource
- Accuracy and objectivity of the information included in the resource
- Comprehensiveness and currency of the information included in the resource
