Your Vehicle for Information Evaluation RADCAB Your Vehicle for Information Evaluation “RADCAB” ™ A mnemonic acronym for information evaluation Created by Karen M. Christensson, M.S. Library Media Education

RADCAB Relevancy Appropriateness Detail Currency Authority Bias

R=Relevancy Definition—Connected. having some sensible or logical connection with something else such as a matter being discussed or investigated Is the information relevant to the question at hand? Am I on the right track? Do I have a focus question? Using specific keywords and phrases that relate to our research questions helps us focus our search energies and keep us on task.

A=Appropriateness Definition—Appropriate. Suitable for the occasion or circumstances. Is the information suitable to my age and core values? Is the information too hard for me to understand, or do I find it offensive? Stop, look and listen. Information sources that make you feel confused or uneasy are information sources to be exited ASAP!

D=Detail Definition—attention to or treatment of a subject in individual or minute parts. How much information do I need? Is the depth of coverage adequate? Does the information provide the depth of coverage I need to complete my assignment? There are specific details to look for in a website that can help the researcher determine the site's usefulness. Using these details will help you evaluate a website for its quality of construction, content, and depth of coverage.

Quality of Construction, Content, and D=Detail Quality of Construction, Content, and Depth of Coverage. What are the Details? How are they useful? Site map Navigation and scope Page organization: titles, headings, and subtitles Navigation and evidence of quality construction Works cited pages Credit to information sources used External links Additional information sources Internal search engine Quick information retrieval Interactive, graphic elements Visual aids and interface interaction Design appeal Easy and pleasant to use

C=Currency Definition—the period of time during which something is current. When was the information published or last updated? What is the copyright date and has the information been recently updated? Knowing when the information source was last published or updated helps us determine the usefulness of the information presented.

A=Authority Definition--someone who is considered an expert in a particular subject. What are the author's qualifications? Is the author associated with a particular school, university, organization, company, or governmental agency? Is his or her email address included on the website? Authoritative information sources have everything to do with how accurate and credible the information presented is. You need to care who is behind the information you are using, not only as a matter of personal integrity, but also as a matter of personal safety.

B=Bias Definition—To influence someone’s opinions and decisions. Why was this information written? Was it written to inform me, persuade me, entertain me, or sell me something? How do you know if the information you have found has a special agenda behind it? Does the information have a particular angle, slant, or spin to it?

B=Bias Clues to Look For: the domain name the domain suffix (.com, .edu, .gov, etc.) the advertising the mission statement the authorship or organization behind the information the tone of voice or language used

Let’s take what we’ve learned and put it to use… RADCAB Let’s take what we’ve learned and put it to use… Octopus Research