Evaluating What You Find

Why? How? What?

Bibliographic Criteria
Authority
Currency
Intended Audience
Source/Publisher

Content Criteria
Accuracy
Coverage/Scope
Objectivity/Bias
Quality
Relevance

Activity

 

Objectivity/Bias

Objectivity is one of the most important factors in determining the appropriateness of using an information resource. Objective authors present all relevant facts in an impartial fashion and are open to other perspectives, opinions, and arguments. In contrast, biased authors present only the information that supports their own opinions, and they often portray their interpretations as facts. When determining whether an author is objective or biased, ask the following questions:

• Is the author’s line of reasoning valid and logical?

• In comparison to other works on the topic, are the author’s arguments and conclusions comparable or radically different?

• Does the author use emotionally-charged language in order to evoke the emotions of the audience?

• Are any political, ideological, or institutional biases present in the resource?

• Does the mission of the author’s institution support a particular perspective that would tend to bias the author’s work?

• What is the author’s purpose in writing the work?

• Is the work an editorial that only uses information that supports the author’s perspective?

Examples:

• Objectivity/Bias in Print Sources
  
  
  
  

• Objectivity/Bias in Websites