How to Analyze Sources and Information

How to Analyze Sources and Information By Riley Kohl       Today, we live in a world that runs on information. Information is gathered, shared, bought, and sold. More and more, individuals are consuming vast amounts of information and using it to shape themselves and the way they perceive the world around them. In our journey to reach new heights of understanding, we construct for ourselves a tall watchtower, with each brick being a new piece of information. Far too often, however, we dont ask ourselves a crucial question: what if this new brick has cracks? My goal is to explain why you need to be able to appraise the quality of the information you consume and to give you the tools to do so reliably and efficiently. A Growing Need One of the most commonly used sources of information is the news, specifically the mainstream media. In recent years, there has been a gradual, observable decline in the quality of journalism. Noticing this, the American people have subsequently displayed a gradual decline in the level of trust they place in the mainstream medias ability to report information in a trustworthy and unbiased manner. In a Gallup poll conducted in 2016 with a random sample of 1,020 adults, only 32% professed to having a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the mainstream media.[1] A graph of this trend is provided in Figure 1. A Practical Demonstration In order to better grasp the methodologies of information analysis, and the need for such skills, a practical demonstration is best. On November 20, 2015, CNN published an article alleging that President-elect Donald Trump made a definitive statement regarding the implementation of a Muslim database.[2] Several hours later, an article was published by the Gateway Pundit claiming that the conclusions presented by the CNN article were based on falsified evidence.[3] Figure 2 provides a side- by-side view of the article headlines. This leads to the first, and most important, critical rule of information analysis: no source is above scrutiny because no source is infallible. CNN is a major media outlet. The first reaction of the average person would be to simply trust them over the Gateway Pundit, a relatively unknown source. The CNN article also provides a video which seems to support the claim presented in the headline. The two most notable arguments presented by the Gateway Pundit article are that the CNN video is heavily edited and that the reporter deliberately pushed a vague, unspecific question. The first step the reader must take at this point is to watch, or re-watch, the CNN video. It is clear that the video is edited, but this practice is not unusual. Videos provided in articles and reports are often edited for time purposes, cutting out unnecessary information in order to deliver the important information in a timely manner. Thus, we arrive at the second critical rule: when in doubt, consult the raw data. This is not always an easy task. In scientific reports, the raw data is often extensive or presented in a format that is difficult for laymen to understand. News articles, on the other hand, often draw their data from raw video or official statements. Given the positions presented by the two articles, at most only one of them can be correct. Therefore, at least one of these articles must be false. The result of this is that a person who believes the false article will likely form an opinion on Donald Trump, then a Presidential candidate. This newly assimilated information might affect a choice of action taken by the reader, such as who they vote for, which could have consequences as significant as deciding the next political leader of the United States of America. Placed in this perspective, it is clear that information and misinformation can be a powerful, dangerous forces. It is imperative that they a re properly evaluated by the readers. Methodologies for Appraising Information Some of the simplest methods for appraising the quality of an information source involve asking basic questions. These include confirming whether or the not source is unbiased, comprehensive, current, and clear.[4] While the latter questions are fairly simple, the question of bias is a tricky beat to handle. Bias is fundamentally difficult to avoid when writing, or choosing not to write, articles or reports. These are written by human beings, who have their own ingrained outlooks and opinions on the world. Additionally, the existence of bias extends outside the article itself, into the meta realm of publication. There can exist a bias in what information is published and what information is not. A news outlet might choose to only report on the legitimate scandals of a political figure and publish nothing regarding their accomplishments. Even though the published articles may be true, the bias still exists. A very common misconception is that the authorship of an information source is a good measure of its quality or trustworthiness. While this can serve as a significant, time-saving shortcut, it can also lull the reader into a false sense of security. The most well-respected news outlet can publish erroneous articles, and the most sensational tabloid can publish articles containing nothing but the truth. A final concept to note, before proceeding to a more orderly listing of methodologies, is the writing itself. The writing styles of information sources can vary widely based on their intended audience and purpose. A scientific report on geological predictions based on survey data will vary in appearance and flow from a news article reporting on a recent crime wave. Despite this, the hallmark of a good article lies with its objective reasoning. There should be a clear logical flow from the raw information being cited to the final conclusions drawn and presented by the author.[5] Faulty logic or subtle fallacies can take factual evidence and output misleading conclusions. A Simple Checklist for Appraising Sources Ask yourself the three Cs: Is it comprehensive, clear, and current? Look to see if the source has a logical flow of objective reasoning. Identify the purpose of the article. What is the writer trying to convey? Identify any potential for bias. Does the author have an underlying motive? Cross-reference with alternative sources. Consult the raw data if necessary. Remember that is is alright to decide that no definitive conclusions can be drawn from insufficient sources. Works Cited [1] Gallup, Inc. Americans Trust in Mass Media Sinks to New Low.Gallup.com. N.p., 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 05 Jan. 2017. [2] Trump would certainly implement national database for U.S. Muslims.CNN. Cable News Network, 20 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. [3] Hoft, Jim. THEY LIED! Media Edited Video to Claim Donald Trump Said to Register All Muslims (Video).TheGatewayPundit. N.p., 21 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. [4] Markel, Michael H. Practicalstrategiesfortechnicalcommunication. 1st ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. Print. [5] LibGuides: Critically Analyzing Information Sources: Critical Appraisal and Analysis.CriticalAppraisaland AnalysisCriticallyAnalyzingInformationSourcesLibGuidesatCornellUniversity. N.p., 27 May 2016. Web. 05 Jan. 2017.   Ã‚  

Philosophy Of Composition Essay -- essays research papers fc

Poe’s Composition of the Raven   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edgar Allen Poe describes in great detail, his poem â€Å"The Raven†, in The Philosophy of Composition. Never before had I been able to read a poet describe in his own philosophy of making a poem. Poe goes in deep context and meaning to how he derives the story line to his poem. He explains what significance the raven plays in the poem and the beauty of his intent in the poem. Poe, first thought of an impression or effect he would like to suppress upon the reader. In this case, he chose beauty as the sole intent of his poem. Second he wanted to find a tone, which would express his view of beauty throughout the poem. His choice of tone was sadness because he believed beauty â€Å"excites the sensitive soul to tears† (1575). He also wanted...

Horror Story Essay

It was a wonderful day in southern Spain and Sara and Kevin was out for a walk in the mouintains on their last vacation day. The view was extrodernery, olive plantings turning the otherwise dry land green and small white houses forming tiny villages, everything bathing in the strong Andalusian sunlight. As they walked upon an old path with a high cliff on the left-hand-side they passed a yellow sign with some text and the cliff painted in black, but since neither of them spoke Spanish they thought nothing of it. They walked on by and enjoyed each others companies very much, holding hands and talking about their holiday. Suddenly Sara stopped and claimed that she heard a noice of a rock falling down from the mountain beside them, but Kevin assured her that it was perfectly okay for them to continue their walk, since he was enjoying it so much. Just a second after he spoke those words a loud noise shoke the ground and before they even had time to react, massive rocks were flying down f rom the cliff just beside them. They threw themselves against a big tree next to the path as rocks kept falling down and dust started to fill the air. The horrible moment seemed to last forever†¦.. At last it stopped, and everything turned dead silence. After a few seconds a voice was heard shouting: ‘’Sara , are you okay? Where are you? It was Kevin ofcourse. He was lying under the tree, and seemed to be safe and sound despite the horrible incident. A few seconds went by without an answer from Sara. He started panicing and shouting, even louder and more anxious than before. Then silently, but still, a wage sound was heard. Kevin jumped up from the place he was lying on and started to look around. There, on the path, under a pile of rocks he saw a red thing but he couldn’t distinguish what it was. Coming closer, he saw that Sara was lying there and that the red was from her T-shirt which she wore that day. He quickly grabbed the biggest rock on top and started to push, at first it was all still which made Kevin again to panic. With all his force he pushed once again and now it slowly started to move and finally, after an heroic effort the rock slid off and Sara could get loose. She miraculously was also without any severe injuries and hugged Kevin harder than ever before, and they agreed that they won’t ignore signs they don’t understand ever again.

Child Abuse Prevention and Control; Can Physical, Sexual...

Child abuse is a serious and widespread problem throughout the world. It can take the form of sexual abuse, physical or psychological mistreatment , or child neglect. Can child abuse be prevented? Can the child abuser be rehabilitated? What can be done within your own home or community to prevent or control child abuse? Once discovered, child abuse can be addressed, but how does one report child abuse, and what are the legal requirements for reporting the abuse? Are you aware of the effect that the abuse has on other family members, or what the long term effects of child abuse can be? Learn how you can be part of the solution to the tragic problem of child abuse. Child abuse, regardless of what form it takes, is extremely damaging to the†¦show more content†¦Each family member must be willing to cooperate in the rehabilitation program. Mental or psychological instability or illness, and/or substance abuse often contribute to the abusive behavior, complicating matters even more, and and making rehabilitation much more difficult. If the abuse violation is considered low level, the abuser may possibly be permitted to remain within the home while treatment takes place, as long as steady improvement is observed and no further abuse occurs. This is normally decided on a case by case basis. The definition of low level varies according to local laws, but one example would be mild incidences of neglect, as opposed to actual physical or sexual abuse or exploitation, or more severe cases of neglect. Instances in which the abuse has become more serious usually require removal and temporary relocation of the child, or removal of the abuser, until such time as the offender is determined to be rehabilitated. 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