Use a Source Reliability Grid
Have you ever noticed that what looks like solid facts can often appear right next to dubious ones on the internet? It's not easy to tell which is which. But the good news is, there's a tool you can use: the reliability grid!
You can use it in all your research. In this grid, six criteria are used to assess the reliability of a source. You assign a grade to each of them. In the end, these grades added together tells you about the quality of the source.
It's Your Turn
Look again at the info cited in the previous chapter and apply the grading tool to all those sources. Now you can consider your point of view on the subject more objectively.
Using the downloaded spreadsheet, enter the information you have collected.
Step 1 - Assess Your Source
Take one of the sources you've chosen and run it past these six criteria:
The legitimacy of its origin: What internet site did you find it on? Is this platform known for its editorial line, tone and business model, or does it have a conflict of interest?
The author: Who supplies the information is a critical factor. What authority do they have on the subject? Bear in mind that someone can speak with authority on one subject, but less so on another! Look at Dr. Deepak Chopra who is a medical doctor and well-known for his interpretation of quantum physics and its impact on our bodies. In his book Quantum Healing, he mixes his medical expertise with some he doesn't have, leaving most skeptics doubtful of his conclusions' accuracy. When someone expresses an expert opinion, make sure they have that expertise before taking it at face value. Let's keep a critical eye open! 😉
Objectivity: What good reason does this author or website have for publishing this information? A search for truth? How is the information presented? Could it just be a sales pitch?
Quality: What type of reasoning does the source use? Is it based on rigorous arguments?
Sources: Sources offer easy solutions to “Give me good reasons to believe what you believe.” You should be able to cite them for those who want to verify your statements.
Quantity: Explaining quantum physics in two sentences or an omelet recipe in 40 pages are not likely to be very useful approaches. The amount of information needed to tackle a subject has to be justifiable.
Topicality: Be wary of obsolete data. "Don't trust obsolete data, but watch out that it hasn't been replaced by garbage," (contemporary source - 2020 - the author's head).
Step 2 - Count the Points
It's time to grade your source. Using the provided document, give a grade by checking the relevant box for each of the seven criteria.
Before you're done, check that you can prove objectivity. Answer yes or no to these statements:
I don't like the author of this paper: yes/no.
I can't stand the tone of this site/magazine: yes/no.
This is exactly what I knew about the subject: yes/no.
It's really hard to read, but it seems OK: yes/no.
If you answered one of these statements a little too quickly, you might want to take a step back and analyze your research subject again.
Remember that suspended judgment is essential during this exercise!
Now, it's time for the verdict. Look at the total points at the bottom of the table.
Are you there yet? 😉 See which category the source you analyzed belongs to:
17 to 20 points | Excellent source |
13 to 16 points | Adequate source |
10 to 12 points | Acceptable source |
7 to 9 points | Average quality source available on the internet, generally ruled out. You can certainly find better! |
Below 6 points | Source immediately ruled out |
How can you use these results?
If your chosen source only rates 7, 8, or 9 points, you can't use it in your report. Conversely, you shouldn't trash a source that contradicts your beliefs and rates 16 points. Lastly, out of a choice of six sources, you could keep the three best if they rated higher than ten. Your report should take any research controversy into account.
Let's Recap!
Maybe the outcome of the exercise was to confirm what you thought you knew about the subject-or maybe not. But at least you can pat yourself on the back for using a reliable method to turn your suppositions into information that can be shared AND verified.
You learned:
There's a technique for reducing the risk of choosing bad information sources.
Using this technique provides a significant guarantee of the quality of your work.
Knowing how to ask the right questions is a prerequisite for research.
A condition of success is maintaining the highest objectivity when interpreting the answers.
We're reaching the end of the second part of this course. You're now able to question a practical situation and carry out rigorous research to reach successful conclusions. Before we go on, here's a quiz to check the skills you've gained. Now it's your turn!
