What is information literacy?
Information literacy is the process of finding, analyzing, and evaluating information. Information literacy is closely tied to the research process as you cannot have one without the other. In this section, we will be going over some evaluation methods to make sure the research you want to use for your assignments is appropriate.
The RADAR method is a straightforward and easy-to-remember method for evaluating sources. It emphasizes the importance of relevance, authority, date, accuracy, and reasoning in determining the credibility of information.
RADAR stands for the following criteria:
Relevance: How relevant is the information to your research question or topic?
Authority: Who is the author or publisher? What are their credentials and qualifications?
Date: When was the information published or last updated?
Accuracy: Is the information accurate and supported by evidence?
Reasoning: What is the purpose of the information? Is it biased or objective?
The CRAAP method is similar to the RADAR method in terms of criteria, but the order of the criteria is slightly different. The CRAAP method places more emphasis on currency (i.e., the timeliness of the information) and purpose (i.e., the bias or objectivity of the information).
CRAAP stands for the following criteria:
Currency: How recent is the information?
Relevance: How relevant is the information to your research question or topic?
Authority: Who is the author or publisher? What are their credentials and qualifications?
Accuracy: Is the information accurate and supported by evidence?
Purpose: What is the purpose of the information? Is it biased or objective?
Watch this short video from NCSU Libraries on evaluating sources for credibility.
