Validity of information
Information found on the Internet can sometimes be problematic. It is always important for the information professional to validate information found during a search, whether this results from printed or electronic sources. However, the information found in reference books and other printed materials in public libraries has usually undergone a rigorous selection process. Thus some of the validation of information has already taken place through the selection process.
This is not the case with Internet sites. Individuals or organisations can, at almost negligible cost, upload information to websites which are then accessible throughout the World. Such sites may present information which is out of date, biased to one point of view or just plainly wrong. So all information found on the Internet must be critically evaluated. This is an important role for the information professional. Non-specialists are less likely to query the information found on the Internet - perhaps they assume that it has been vetted in some way, just like the reference books in our libraries.
There are three main criteria for validating information: reliability, accuracy and currency.
Let's start by considering Reliability...
