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AGR1220 - Timmers

Cannabis Production Course Guide

Think Critically About Sources

Use this guide to help you gather information about the resources you are considering using to help you determine the credibility, usefulness, and accuracy of the source based on your needs.

ACT UP

Evaluating Sources

The ACT UP Method was created by Dawn Stahura of Salem State University Library. It is a method of evalutating resources, information, and media with a new lens. Stahura has analysis of differing perspectives and biases as a part of the evaluation process to ensure resources give a complete picture and higher level of accuracy.

A: Author

  • Who is the author?
  • What are their credentials?
  • What makes them qualified to write about the subject?
  • Seek out other resources to verify author credentials and for websites, use the 'About us' pages.
  • Has the website or author been known as a source of fake news?

C: Currency

  • What date was the source published?
  • How current does the information need to be that you are searching for?
  • If you are on a website, when was it last updated?

T: Truth

  • How reliable and accurate is the resource?
  • Can I verify the claims in multiple outside sources?
  • Follow the rule of three by finding at least three resources to back up your information.

U: Unbiased

  • Remember that there is no such thing as 'unbiased'.
  • Does the resource take an impartial perspective?
  • Who funds the research or site?

P: Privilege

  • Is there publication privilege?
  • Is there only one represented group, race, gender, etc. of authors, researches, publishers, and scholars?
  • What perspectives are missing from the story or conversation?

Source: Stahura, Dawn. "Evaluating Sources: ACT UP: Evaluating Sources," Salem State University.

Understanding Domain Names

The domain of a website indicates the type of entity responsible for creating and maintaining the site. The domain can be found in the site's URL and is always preceded by a .  Below is a list of possible domain names.  Click the info button to find things to consider when evaluating these sites.

.com 
Maintained by commercial entities. Consider the motive of the site's creators as they are likely selling or promoting their product. While this information may be accurate, it may also be presented in a biased light or it may exclude information that could potentially harm their commercial interests.

.edu

Maintained by educational institutions ranging from elementary through college. These are generally reliable sources, particularly if they are maintained by a college or university department or research center. However, be weary of personal student websites which may be hosted under a .edu domain but are not necessarily reviewed by the institution.

.gov

Maintained by various areas of the federal government and can generally be trusted. These are particularly useful for statistical inforamtion such as census or employment data as well as legal information such as Congressional hearings and Supreme Court rulings

.il.us

Maintained by various branches of the Illinois state government. This would also apply to any of the other 50 states such as wi.us, in.us, mi.us, etc. State sources are generally reliable and are particularly useful for state governement information such as state tax or health department information as well as websites hosted by individual towns or municipalities.

.org

Most commonly maintained by non-profit organizations which are usually credible, unbiased sources. However, be weary of non-profit organizations that strongly advocate specific points of view such as many lobby or activist organizations. While these organizations may provide credible information, be sure to check that this information is supported by cited sources and that you have evaluated all sides of this issue in other sources. Be sure to consider whether this organization is supported by commercial interests which may introduce bias.

.net

This is a generic domain name that was originally intended for network technology groups but has come to encompass commercial and individual interests as well. These sources should always be closely evaluated.

Common English-Speaking Country Domains