Critical Thinking when Evaluating Sources of Information

Critical thinking is "the process of gathering information, analyzing it in different ways, and evaluating the purposes of gaining understanding, solving a problem, or making a decision" (Bishop, Carter, & Kravits, 2007, Ch.3). When writing many people can get caught up citing sources that do not have credible information; many people may also find information that has been tailored to suit specific needs. These sources are not quality sources that should be used for academic or professional writing. This article will provide you with tips on how to use critical thinking when evaluating sources of information.

1. Question who is funding the written document. Many written documents can be swayed in certain directions depending on who is paying for them. There are definitely agendas that should be looked for. Some may be positive and some negative; for example an article written about solar energy may be from someone who genuinely cares about renewable resources or it could be from someone trying to sell you a solar panel.

2. When checking the credibility of information, research the facts and references and compare them. Critical thinking suggests that you analyze the information you are provided with, and there is not better way to do this. This is why people get second opinions from doctors; it is important to double check facts and references when evaluating your sources.

3. Also check to see who is publishing the work and their core values. It is important to see who the publisher is, what other information have they published, and what are their core values and beliefs? Evaluating all of this background information can make a difference in the credibility of your sources.

4. When using critical thinking to evaluate a book the first thing to check is if they are part of the library of congress. This will usually appear on the first or second page of the book, and it is a good beginning indicator of the credibility of your information.

5. Research the author as well; is the author an expert on the topic discussed. What experience allows them to claim knowledge of this information? Critical thinking asks us to question the author's credibility when we are curious of the validity of a source of information.

Using critical thinking, when evaluating sources of information, is a valuable practice. No one wants to put faith in a source that has invalid information, and you can use your critical thinking skills to help find reliable sources. These tips will help you differentiate between sources of information that are credible and incredible.

Reference:
Bishop, J., Carter, C., & Kravits, S. (2007). Keys to college studying:becoming an active thinker [2nd ed.]. Retrieved fromhttps://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx