Assessing if a source is good enough to use in an academic essay is an essential part of research and writing.
BIAS:
We all have bias and effective research requires us to use strategies to fight our own biases and to identify bias in our sources.
Evaluation is about asking the right questions and using the C.R.A.A.P test of evaluation is just one way to review and assess the quality of your sources. Do your sources pass the CRAAP test? If not, find a better source!
Consider the difference in these two verbal citations:
Which verbal citation is more effective? Why?
Consider the difference in the following two verbal citations:
Which verbal citation is more credible? Why?
Confirmation bias refers to the human tendency to favor information that supports what we already think or believe and devalue information that challenges what we think. We are ALL prone to confirmation bias!
Quality research requires keeping an open mind, selecting reliable sources, and learning from those credible sources as you go.
Watch the video below for useful tips on interrupting your own confirmation bias and be sure to evaluate all your information sources!