Evaluating Information on the Web
Overview
Use this guide as an example of lateral reading.
Locating an Article
Using Google, type your search term: climate change. Note the sources provided in the results.
In this search, there are results from
- EPA
- BBC
- Global Change
- United Nations
- NRDC
Choose an article for evaluation.
Searching Wikipedia
Using the article from NRDC, "Climate Change: What You Need to Know," read laterally. Don't just rely on the .org domain!
Step 1:
Use Wikipedia to find out more about the source: NRDC, also known as the Natural Resources Defense Council. Use NRDC site: Wikipedia.org.
Step 2:
Note what Wikipedia says about the agency.
The NRDC is
- a 501(c)(3) non-profit international environmental advocacy group
- an outgrowth of the Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference v. Federal Power Commission, which ruled environmental groups had the ability to sue the Federal Power Commission.
- The NRDC has spearheaded several legal battles in favor of environmental protection, some that have lead to changes by the EPA.
Note that Wikipedia says this article needs additional citations for verification. Continue to read other articles about the NRDC.
Using Reliable, Well-Known Resources to Evaluate
A Google search for the NRDC returns results from charity or non-profit tracking websites. However, two known, credible websites discuss the agency. From the information gathered, although the agency seems to have bias in that it leans left politically, the NRDC is a credible and authoritative source and usable for a paper.
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