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University of Portland Clark Library

CS 368: Seminar: Exercises

Evaluating an unfamiliar source

Evaluate this potential source on the topic of AI use in hiring: http://tinyurl.com/cs368ajan29     

1) Investigate the source itself (SIFT: Stop before your read; Investigate the source; Find better coverage; Trace claims)

  • Look it up in the Media Bias Chart or AllSides (scroll down to see list of news organizations)
  • Google the source/site name and exclude its domain from search results to learn more about the publication.

Google search example: politifact -site:politifact.com

2) CRAAP Test: Use these criteria prompts to further evaluate the specific article or web page. Think about which criteria seem most useful in this case.

  • Currency: When was the information written or last updated
  • Relevance: Is the information appropriate for your needs? 
  • Authority: Credentials of author or organization providing the information 
  • Accuracy: Does the information seem reliable? Was it reviewed or edited? Can info be verified?
  • Purpose: Reason information exists (inform, teach, sell, persuade)  

Library tools for finding sources

I. Try a search in the ACM Digital Library to find sources about artificial intelligence and hiring (or topic of your choice).

  1. On results screen, look at the refine option in left column. Choose Content Type and look for a Review Articles option. Choose it to see these articles (review articles provide a bigger picture view of topic).
  2. Try viewing the full text for one of the results. Note: We have access to everything except books and book chapters.
  3. Do you need to use SIFT and CRAAP to evaluate these sources?

II. Try a search in the UP Library Search to find books about artificial intelligence and hiring (or topic of your choice).

  1. What types of books are appearing in your results? 
  2. How can you modify your search to find books addressing other aspects of the topic (history, policy, societal)?
  3. Can you get full text? If not, what is an option you can use to have the library get it for you?
  4. Do you need to use SIFT and CRAAP to evaluate these sources?

TIP: Use UP Library Search to look up the books suggested by your professor in the Professional Development Plan assignment. If we don't have a book, you might be able to request and borrow a copy through one of the Summit libraries.

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