Find and Evaluate the Author

Evaluation

Once an author's name is available, search for information using the author's name in Google or a similar search engine. Entering keywords such as 'education' or "employment' in addition to the author's name may help retrieve information about where the author attended school, graduated or works. Be nosy -- look for facts and check those out to see if they hold up.

Also pay attention to the way an author expresses opinions or facts. Are there indications of bias?

Interactive MicroModule Companion on objectivity and bias

Evaluate the author of one or more of these pages:

• Infographic

• Shrouded in Doubt

• CBCWEB3.0

• Inventory of Information Lit Instruction -- find out what you can about the author of comment #1.

Can you find the author's name? What else can you locate? Look for educational background, examples of other work, reputation, objectivity, and other evidence such as spelling and vocabulary.

Discuss: What have you learned about the author? What do the findings indicate about the credibility of his or her work?

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