Intro to Research

This module is about evaluating the credibility and utility of the research sources you find.

You learned how to search the library databases in Modules 4a and 4b, so what’s next? Which articles should you use?  There are several considerations when selecting what material to use for your research project including the credibility of the material and whether the information contains logical fallacies.  

Credible information may not be scholarly, and some scholarly information isn’t credible. ‘Scholarly’ is about how the information is used, while ‘credibility’ results from how the information was created! Credibility is whether the information is trustworthy and well researched.

One way to check on whether the information in a source is complete and factual is to use lateral reading, a technique wherein you look for independent sources of the information to see if any data or context is missing that would change the meaning of the information. This technique is particularly useful when evaluating popular and internet sources of information!

Also be sure to evaluate if the information suitably addresses your research question and the assignment requirements.

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to understand: 

• How and why to evaluate credibility
• Identifying logical fallacies that may be present in information
• Using lateral reading to find the facts

Concepts from the module

Credibility = when a source has high-quality, trustworthy information; it can depend on:

• the author’s expertise

• the author's point of view 

• and the source’s publication date

Evaluating information =  the act of determining the credibility of information such that a research can make better decisions and build better arguments

Logical fallacies = using invalid or illogical evidence that provides weak support for your discussion

Vocabulary from the module

Causation = a relationship in which one variable directly affects the second variable. Think of causation as an “IF this, THEN that” or “cause and effect” situation

Confirmation bias = the tendency to cherry-pick information that confirms existing beliefs

Conspiracy thinking = making the wrong connections with incomplete or second-hand information

Correlation = a relationship between two different, possibly unrelated variables

Filter bubble = when algorithms limit your search results to information that you have already shown interest in, distorting your view on a topic because you are never exposed to other perspectives 

Lateral Reading = read laterally or horizontally across multiple webpages to get a big-picture view of the site they are evaluating, it is a key strategy for developing a more nuanced and complete perspective on the credibility of online sources

Vertical reading = scrolling up and down a web page or clicking on links within the site to look for markers of credibility