Slide 1
INFO 414 Information Behavior
Quality and the evaluation of information
Slide 2
Information Consolidation Process
Study of potential users
Selection of information sources
Evaluation of information
Analysis
Restructuring
Packaging and/or repackaging
Diffusion or dissemination
Feedback
Slide 3
Quality
Quality
the intrinsic worth, the goodness
the WHAT we are assessing
Evaluation
the judgment of quality, worth accomplishment
the process
Slide 4
Quality
Evaluation of information
direct assessment of a writer’s content or the substance in the message
assessing the intrinsic merit of the author’s message.
Why?
This is the raw material for information consolidation
Slide 5
Approaches for evaluating quality
Criteria can be internal or external
Internal
achieved from the perspective of the field of study; i.e. criteria are drawn from where the information has been drawn (not information science)
direct assessment of quality/merit of a text
looking at the message to determine quality or goodness
Slide 6
Approaches for evaluating quality
Internal..
Examples
Historical material - criteria: authenticity or genuineness; significance, accuracy, relevance
Social science literature - criteria: reliability, precision, internal validity, external validity
Fiction - criteria: believable, logical, original, ingenious plot
established by scholars/ practitioners in the area
Slide 7
Approaches for evaluating quality
External
criteria related to generator, packager, package, expert opinion
indirect indicators of the quality of information
generally found and explained in the information science literature
Examples
author - author’s reputation, previous work, citation record, subject background, qualifications, institutional affiliation
Slide 8
Approaches for evaluating quality
Examples...
Source of the information - where was is published, credibility of the journal, prestige, built in quality controls like refereeing; the opinion of credible reviewers, recency and timeliness
Slide 9
Approaches for evaluating quality of information products
Content
accuracy - does it conform to the original information on which it was based - has the integrity of the original source been maintained?
validity - is there something in the message that allows the reader to judge quality?
Slide 10
Approaches for evaluating quality of information products
Content ..
source credibility - information comes from sources that users consider “good” sources
precision - extent to which content reflect purpose/ relevance
Relevance/ appropriateness
is it appropriate to a user’s needs?
quantity appropriate
scope is appropriate - breadth, depth
Slide 11
Approaches for evaluating quality of information products
Relevance/ appropriateness...
comprehensiveness
exhaustiveness
level of detail
currency, recency, age
type of information - theoretical, practical, qualitative
does the content reflect appropriate time horizons - current, future, past
Slide 12
Approaches for evaluating quality of information products
Relevance/ appropriateness...
redundancy i.e. repetition
language - vocabulary, syntax at appropriate level
style of writing
ordering of content
Slide 13
Approaches for evaluating quality of information products
Quality of the structure of the information
how it is put together
medium - the physical means of display - print, digital
format - how the medium is packaged - book, pamphlet
Slide 14
Approaches for evaluating quality of information products
Structure...
haggle and hassle factors - is product easy to use; browsing, scanning, flexibility, ordering, access familiarity
costs
reliability
life span
graphic design
Slide 15
Approaches for evaluating quality of information products
Structure...
response time
formatting
Physical accessibility
readability
audibility
Slide 16
Approaches for evaluating quality of information services
Evaluation of services
tangibles - physical appearance of a service, the people who offer the service
reliability - ability to do what the service says it will do
responsiveness
Slide 17
Approaches for evaluating quality of information services
assurance - communication between the user and the professional; credibility - can they deliver; security; competence - skills and knowledge; courtesy
empathy - understanding user
reliability, closeness to the problem, quality of the interfacing with the user
Slide 18
Approaches for evaluating quality
Maintain your focus on the users
We judge the quality of information services and products by the difference they make. Do they help the situation? Do they improve the situation?