Evaluating Information  

• This guide is divided into section tabs with each tab describing a specific criteria for evaluating information. 

• None of the tabs need to be reviewed in any specific order.  

• Each tab also includes a "Give it a try" option.  For ease of use, most of these are web based examples.    

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• The purpose of this guide is to help you 1) understand the process of evaluating information and 2) provide tips for determining if information is appropriate to your needs. 

• Evaluating information is critical for deciding what types of information are appropriate to your research or information needs. 

• Remember, there is no such thing as "good" or "bad" information.  It all depends on what you need and how you plan to use the information. The key is to understand the context of the information in order to determine how appropriate it is to your needs.  

• These evalutation tips are useful for all types of information: books, magazines and periodicals and on the web.

• To help remember the criteria, think of this achronym: AACCP

                            Audience / Authority / Coverage / Currency / Purpose

The key is to take all of these criteria into consideration when reviewing your information.  This will help you make a more informed information choice.