Evaluating your resources
IDENTIFYING YOUR INFORMATION NEED
- What do already know about your subject?
- What are your preconceived ideas or biases?
- Do you want general or specialized information?
- What is the central focus of your information need?
- How much information do you require?
- What types of information do you want?
EVALUATING THE SOURCE OF THE INFORMATION
- How did you discover the source - an index? bibliography? reference work? web search engine?
- What type of source is it - scholarly? general? commercial?
- What are the author's or producer's qualifications on this topic? - education? experience? occupation? position? affiliation?
- When was the information published?
- Where was the information published?
- What is the publisher's reputation and/or type - university press? alternative press or website? commercial press or website? private organization?
- Was the material reviewed or edited for publication?
- Does the source show political or cultural biases?
- Is a bibliography or other form of documentation included?
- Is it organized so you can easily access the information you require?
DETERMINING THE SUITABILITY OF THE SOURCE
- What is the scope and purpose of the work?
- Who is the audience for the work - general public? students? experts?
- Is the information presented clearly and objectively?
- Is the work suitable for your level of understanding of the subject?
- Does it have the features you need - graphs? tables? charts?
- Does it contain the information you need?
- from Evaluating Information: A Basic Checklist by the American Library Association
Spotting Fake News
Reliable Resources
World Bank Environmental and Social Framework 2016 - Search for additional resources at the World Bank. It has made its data open to all at World Bank Open Data where you can find the World Development Indicators and a good deal of historical data.
Environment Protection Agency/U.S. - An entire section of the website is devoted to the concept of environmental justice.
EJSCREEN Mapping Tool - Challenging but informative mapping tool covering many of the issues researched by the EPA.
The Guardian - U.S. Environmental Justice part of the news site.
CNN Lesson Plans - A collection of various plans curated by CNN news
Environmental Law, United Nations - You might want to download the title Environmental Justice – Comparative Experiences in Legal Empowerment
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - One of the largest recent reports on the effects of climate change.
Sustainability Organizations
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Energy & Environment - FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection"These web pages connect to FTC resources on energy labeling for consumer products, retail sales of electricity, environmental marketing claims, insulation and home energy issues, and fuel and automotive products"
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Global Reporting InitiativeThe Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a network-based global organization working to increase the transparency and accountability of business sustainability performance through its Sustainability Reporting Framework.
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International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)IISD champions global sustainable development through innovation, research and relationships that span the entire world. It is devoted to the ongoing communication of its findings as it engages decision-makers in business, government, non-government organizations and other sectors.
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Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)"For three decades, IREC, a non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status, has worked with industry, government, educators and other stakeholders to ensure that the broader use of renewable energies is possible, safe, affordable and practical for us all."
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National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE)"The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the scientific basis for environmental decisionmaking. NCSE specializes in programs that foster collaboration between the diverse institutions and individuals creating and using environmental knowledge, including research, education, environmental, and business organizations as well as governmental bodies at all levels."
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U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.
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World Resources InstituteAn independent nonprofit organization with a staff of more than 100 scientists, economists, policy experts, business analysts, statistical analysts, mapmakers, and communicators working to protect the Earth and improve people's lives.