Information Literacy

The term “information literacy” refers to the ability of the reader to analyze the information they are reading and determine whether that information is relevant and reliable. In a perfect world, news media sources would all be held accountable for providing accurate and current information. Unsurprisingly, most news media sources have their own agendas, from pushing products of the corporations who sponsor them to skewing news stories to alter our perceptions of events. A fun way to remember how to evaluate sources, whether it’s printed, on the web, or on TV, is to ask yourself, “Is it CRAP?” The acronym CRAP stands for Currency, Relevance/Reliability, Authority, and Purpose.

Currency

When you read or hear anything that piques your interest, double check when that information was published and if it’s still relevant to the current time or subject. If the information is old, see if it has been revised since its initial publication.

Relevance and Reliability

For whichever topic you are researching or reading about, determine whether the information is truly related to the subject. This includes seeking out information that conflicts with your own personal opinions, as long as it is accurate. Also consider whether the information you are assessing has the appropriate amount of citations in itself to give it reasonable credibility. Sources like Wikipedia are great for brief introductions to subjects, but open source publications are extremely susceptible to bias.

Authority

All published, reliable media sources should always note who the author of the article is. Do some research into the author themself. Ask yourself if the author has the credentials to be writing on the subject, assess their experience with the subject, as well as their own opinion on it. Also, take into account who or what organization published the article. If the author or publisher are sponsored by organizations with strong political leanings, the information may not be as accurate as we’d like it to be.

Purpose

Always be wary of articles that pull on your heart strings or aim to incite strong emotions in the reader. This is a tactic often used by media sources to push you in a certain direction. Be mindful of the intended audience of the publication or broadcast. Also, ask yourself whether the information you’re reading is fact or opinion. There’s nothing wrong with reading opinionated content, but it’s useful to separate this kind of information from factual information. A truly unbiased source’s only purpose is to inform the reader of what actually happened and is supported by fact-based evidence. Overly descriptive language can entice a reader, but be careful not to be fooled by it.

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