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Independent College: Sourcing & Evaluating Information

Resources for planning and reflecting

About this page

On this page, you will have some help resources to help you think about where to source the information you need, and indeed the possible sources that exist (glossary). 

Evaluating the information you find is a must. Beware of FAKE news or websites/material which may be biased. 

Academic writing should include peer-reviewed information sources (e.g., journal articles). You can learn more about the peer-review process on this page as well as information literacy skills, and importantly, critical thinking. 

What sources can I consult? How can I approach a Research question?

Glossary of information types

In the above post from the University of Manchester Library you can explore the different types of information you may reference or use in your assignments (credit My Learning Essentials). Their resource page My Learning Essentials is full of resources and guides to assist you in planning and conducting research!

Breaking down a research question

Complete this quiz to practise making any research question more manageable! An excellent resource if you are struggling with the first steps of research. 

This is the origin page for this quiz, also full of resources to assist you in starting your infirmation search.

The Peer-Review process

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a skill - sometimes referred to as higher-order thinking - that can be applied when reading, listening or writing about something. It involves carefully examining information by questioning the material, assessing the evidence presented, identifying any inaccuracies, or perhaps biases, and ultimately coming to your own understanding. In essence, it means to consider something thoughtfully and deliberately. 

When being critical in an academic sense, we assess how knowledge or research can be applied effectively to different scenarios, for example.

Please read the below document to learn more. Good luck!

Source Credibility?

It is important to evaluate and assess the credibility and quality of information we encounter. After all, we live in a world of misinformation and fake news. Sometimes simply the amount of information can be overwhelming but luckily, there are resources to hep you deal with all of this. Firstly, a handy guide on spotting fake news created by IFLA.

You can also use the CRAAP test to help you evaluate your information sources. Watch the video below to find out more: