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Reliability, Validity, Relevancy of

Research Materials

Sherwood Brooks

Driftwood Middle School, 2011

We live in time when we are bombarded with information.

A wise in consumer must be able to determine which information is trustworthy and what needs to be disregarded.Why do you think this is important? How do you do that?

Objectives You will be able to:

Determine the factors that affect validity and reliability of information sources

Understand how an author’s purpose affects validity and reliability of information

Identify some reliable and valid sources of information

Reliability

What makes a source reliable? An eye witness An expert in the area A resource that has established

credibility Government agencies

Is the source trustworthy?

Reliable Websites Is the site written and regularly updated by

experts?

Is the site posted by an organization that is trustworthy? E.g. .edu, .gov, .mil, .us

When was the site last updated?

Can I tell who wrote the site?

Is it free of bias, opinion, or emotion?

Is it written respectfully

Less Reliable Resources(Generally)

A report from a person who is not an expert in the field

A Word-of-Mouth (Oral) Report

A secondhand report (Secondary Source)

.com, .net, .org, .html, .me, .cc (Examine Author’s Purpose)

Wikipedia is not considered reliable because it can be edited by users

Relevancy Is this information related to the

topic?

Does it support the main idea by… Adding more details Answering questions Making it clearer

Is the information necessary?

Validity Who is the author?  What are his/her credentials? 

What information is available from this resource? 

Where did the author(s) get the information?  Are citations provided? 

When was the resource produced?  (For books, check the copyright date.  For articles, check the publication date.  For websites, look for a "created on" or "last updated on" date.) 

Why does this resource exist?  Is the purpose to entertain, persuade, inform, etc.?  Is the resource biased? 

How comprehensive is the resource?   Does it go into the depth you need?

Fact vs. Opinion

Fact – cannot be disputed. It can be proven. Driftwood Middle is a school.

(Fact)

Opinion – a feeling or belief that can be disputed. Driftwood Middle is the best

school in Broward County. (Opinion)

Strong vs. Weak Argument

Strong Argument – based on fact, text-based evidence

Weak Argument – Argument based on opinion, conjecture, false analogy, false premise

Review:

All of the following sources are reliable EXCEPT:

A) A government agency

B) An educational institution

C) A second-hand report

What is validity?

What is reliability?

Define relevancy.

What is one question you can ask to determine the

reliability of a source?

How does an author’s purpose affect the validity

of his/her information?

Which of the three arguments is the

strongest one? Why?

Smoking should be banned in public places because:

A) It is bad.

B) It gives people bad breath and makes their teeth yellow.

C)Secondhand smoke is harmful for nonsmokers.

Which of the is MOST likely unreliable?

A) An informational text with a bibliography of 10 known sources

B) A .org persuading you to buy a particular product

C) An eyewitness report of an event.

Fill in the blanks.

A ____________argument is a view that is supported by solid facts and reasoning, while a _______argument follows from poor reasoning and inaccurate information.

True or False?

An argument that contains false premises is never considered a good one.

Miami-Dade is the only county in the nation that borders two national parks— Everglades and Biscayne. These parks protect and preserve nationally known marine ecosystems that attract visitors from all over the world and provide us with amazing places to appreciate and recreate. Unfortunately, both parks face threats from developers who want to build new homes near the parks.

Article #1

What is the author’s purpose?

A. to convince developers to build new houses.

B. to convince readers to visit the Everglades.

C. to convince readers not to allow developers to build new homes near the parks.

D. to provide readers with information about two national parks.

What are the arguments the writer uses to support his/her point of view?

A) Miami-Dade has two parks.

B) The two parks protect ocean life, attract tourists, and provide us with places to enjoy.

C) Developers destroy national parks and are greedy people.

D) Miami-Dade County should encourage residents to visit its two national parks

Article #2

On a recent Saturday morning at 9 a.m., I was driving from Brickell toward Matheson Park. All the roads, including Brickell Avenue, Main Highway, and Old Cutler Road had been taken over by bicyclists riding in groups on the middle of the road. With total disregard of car traffic or safety, they ignored traffic signals, ran red lights, and cut in front of cars. Police regulation is needed.

What is the author’s purpose?

A) to convince readers about the need for police regulation

B) to ensure that bicyclists obey traffic laws.

C) to encourage people to exercise more.

D) to protect bicyclists from dangerous drivers.

E) to warn people about the dangers of driving on Saturday mornings.

What are the arguments the writer uses to support his/her point of view?

A) Roads in Brickell are dangerous for drivers.

B) People should not drive around the Brickell area on Saturday mornings.

C)Bicycle riders in Brickell do not obey traffic laws and are a hazard to drivers.

D)Bicycle riders shouldn’t ride in groups.

Excellent!

You did a fine job!