Evaluating Online Sources: Introducing a 4-Step Strategy

Abstract

I n 2021, Grace Liu published an article titled "Moving Up the Ladder of Source Assessment: Expanding the CRAAP Test with Critical Thinking and Metacognition" in C&RL News. 1 This article was a result of collaboration with West Chester University management faculty aimed to enhance source evaluation practices by incorporating critical thinking and metacognition. The article introduced a 4-step source assessment strategy and documented our initial efforts to enrich source evaluation practices, aligning with the concepts of affective learning and metacognition outlined in ACRL's Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. 2 Building on this work, over the past two years, the three authors of this article came together and further refined the source assessment strategy initially developed for the management class, adapting it to serve a wider audience of students from any discipline. We intended to create a learning module that can supplement one-shot library instruction and go into more depth in teaching source evaluation. With the support of a grant from the Committee for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at our institution, we developed a comprehensive learning module that adapts the initial 4-step strategy to focus on evaluating online sources, including videos, quizzes, exercises, infographic guides, and feedback surveys. 3 This article aims to introduce the new 4-step strategy for evaluating online sources to the academic librarian community. Our primary goal is to provide support to fellow librarians in their information literacy instruction, especially when confronted with the difficulties of teaching complex information evaluation skills within limited one-shot library instruction sessions. The approaches outlined in this strategy can be used in one-shot classes to initiate source evaluation discussions with students. Additionally, the learning module can be used outside of the classroom to extend students' learning experiences. By sharing this strategy, we aspire to foster meaningful discussions and encourage the exchange of best practices among academic librarians regarding effective source evaluation strategies. 4-Step Strategy for Evaluating Online SourcesThe 4-step strategy is designed to align with the natural process when encountering an article. It guides students through the series of evaluative steps including: (1) forming initial impressions by checking the six quality indicators of the online sources; (2) assessing quality using the CRAAP test, delving deeper into considerations of currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose; (3) applying critical thinking and lateral reading skills to