RADAR

Script:

RADAR

Learning Outcomes

After completing this module, you will:

  • understand why it is important to evaluate information sources
  • have a handy criteria for evaluating information sources

 

Introduction

RADAR is an acronym representing a framework for evaluating information sources, to determine whether or not they are appropriate for your research.

Overview

R is for Relevance

A is for Authority

D is for Date

A is also for Appearance

R is also for Reason

Relevance

Is it relevant? For an information source to be relevant, it should:

  • help answer your research question
  • be related to your topic
  • be from your discipline, or from a discipline related to your research

 

Quiz: Relevance

When is an information source relevant to your research topic? Select all that apply.

  • when it is from your discipline, or from a discipline related to your research
  • when it heps answer your research question
  • when it is related to your topic
  • when and only when you agree with the author's perspective or point-of-view

 

All available responses except for "when and only when you agree with the author's perspective or point-of-view" are correct.

Authority

Who wrote or created it? Authority refers to the author's, creator's or publisher's credibility and credentials. For an information source to be authoritative:

  • it should provide the name of the author, creator or publisher, whether a person, organization or institution
  • the author should be educated and occupied in the field
  • its bibliography, reference or list of works cited should contain relevant, authoritative sources
  • the author should have a history of producing credible, reliable information in the field

 

Quiz: Authority

How Can you judge an information source's authority? Select all that apply.

  • by the name of its author, creator or publisher
  • by the conviction or certainty of the author
  • by the author's history of credible, reliable publications in the field
  • by the presence of relevant, authoritative sources in its bibliography, references or list of works cited
  • by the author's education and occupation

 

All available responses except for "by the convication or certainty of the author" are correct.

Date

When was it written or created and last updated? Just because something is older doesn't mean that it isn't useful. Consider whether the information source:

  • is the latest and most up-to-date, and whether or not this is important
  • was seminal, meaning it had a strong influence over later research in the field
  • can be used for historical context

 

Quiz: Date

Which of the following describes a good source? Select all that apply.

  • an older publication that influenced later research in the field
  • up-to-date information from a field where things can change rapidly
  • a publication on your research topic, regardless of its age

 

"a publication on your research topic, regardless of its age" is usually incorrect; the other two available responses are correct.

Appearance

How is the information presented? This can sometimes be an indicator of its quality. Scholarly or academic information tends to be presented:

  • with little or no advertising
  • with an abstract describing the content
  • with a bibliography including reference that support the author's argument
  • in peer-reviewed, academic journals or books

 

Quiz: Appearance

What does a scholarly or academic article contain? Select all that apply.

  • advertising
  • a bibliography
  • an abstract

 

"an abstract" and "a bibliography" are correct.

Reason

Why was the information created? Appropriate information sources are created:

  • to educate by spreading scholarly information
  • sometimes but not always to persuade the reader
  • never to entertain
  • never to sell something

 

Quiz: Reason

Why are scholarly, reliable information sources written? Select all that apply.

  • to sell something
  • to entertain
  • always to persuade the reader
  • to educate

 

"to educate" is the correct answer. "to persuade the reader" is sometimes but not always true. The other two available responses are incorrect.

Review

R is for Relevance

A is for Authority

D is for Date

A is also for Appearance

R is also for Reason

Conclusion

RADAR is only a guideline to help you remember criteria for evaluating information sources. Not every information source needs to pass every aspect of the RADAR criteria. Above all else, use your own best judgement.

Source and license

Mandalios, J. (2013). RADAR: An approach for helping students evaluate Internet sources. Journal of Information Science, 39(4), 470-478.

This tutorial is licensed Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada (CC BY-SA 2.5 CA) and was adapted from an earlier version written and created by Kevin Tanner, Western Libraries https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ca/

Contact us for more assistance