Media and Information

Sources

PRESENTED BY: MR. CYRUS M. REYES

Today, you will learn about different media and
information sources. You are expected to: demonstrate an ability to
examine and
compare information from various sources in order to evaluate its
reliability,
accuracy, authority, timeliness, and bias; determine the accuracy,
reliability and
value of information by questioning the source of data, limitations of
the
information gathering tools or strategies, and the rationale of the
conclusions;
define indigenous media; and contrast indigenous media to the more
common
sources of information such as library, internet, etc.
THINGS TO CONSIDER ON
CHOOSING INFORMATION SOURCES
Reliability of Information
Accuracy of Information
Value of Information
Authority of the Source
Timeliness
Reliability of Information. Information is said
to be reliable if it can be verified and
evaluated. It also refers to the trustworthiness
of the source in evaluating the reliability of
information.
Accuracy of Information. Accuracy refers to the
closeness of the report to the actual data.
Measurement of accuracy varies, depending on the
type of information being evaluated. Forecasts are
said to be accurate if the report is similar to the
actual data. Financial information is considered
accurate if the values are correct, properly classified,
and presented
Value of Information. Information is said to be
of value if it aids the user in making or
improving decisions.
Authority of the Source. Much of the
information we gather daily do not come from
a primary source but are passed on through
secondary sources such as writers, reporters
and the like. Sources with an established
expertise on the subject matter are considered
as having sound authority on the subject.
Timeliness. Reliability, accuracy and value of
information may vary based on the time it was
produced or acquired. While a piece of
information may have been found accurate,
reliable and valuable during the time it was
produced, it may become irrelevant and
inaccurate with the passing of time (making it
less valuable). Other information may be
timeless, proven to be the same in reliability,
Libraries
Types of libraries - Libraries are often classified in 4
groups, namely: academic, public, school and
special. These libraries may be either digital or
physical in form.
Skills in accessing information from libraries - Due to
the wealth of information in a library, it is important
to know the following:
• the access tool to use
• how the information being accessed may be classified
• the depth of details required (i.e. some libraries
provide only an abstract of the topic)
• more detailed information requiring membership or
some conformity to set rules of the source (e.g.
databases)
Characteristics of libraries in terms of reliability,
accuracy and value
• Libraries of published books are often considered
highly reliable, accurate, and valuable. Books and
documents from dominant sources are often peer
reviewed. ISSN or ISBN registration ensures that
standards were followed in producing these
materials.
The Internet
• Information found on the Internet may be quite
varied in form and content. Thus, it is more
difficult to determine its reliability and
accuracy. Accessing information on the internet
is easy but requires more discipline to check
and validate. Factual and fictitious data are
often merged together. Sources always have to
be validated.
Skills in Determining the Reliability of
Information
• Check the author. The author’s willingness to be
identified is a good indication of reliability.
• Check the date of publication or of update. While
the information may be true, it may not be reliable
if it is outdated and may have lost relevance.
• Check for citations. Reliable authors have the
discipline of citing sources of their information.
• Check the domain or owner of the site or page. The
domains .edu and .gov are reserved for academic
institutions and the government, respectively. Information
from such sites are presented with caution and are usually
well-grounded. Site owners may have an agenda that
affects the manner by which information is presented.
• Check the site design and the writing style. Credible
sources take time to make their information accessible and
easy to comprehend.
 Skills in Determining Accurate Information
a. Look for facts.
b. Cross-reference with other sources to check for
consistency.
c. Determine the reason for writing and publishing
the information. Check if the author is objective or
leaning heavily on a certain point of view.
d. Check for advertising. Advertisers may use
related information to market their product.
Alternative Media
• Other alternative forms of communication and
distribution have become popular. These include
social media, blogs and flash mob performances.
These alternative forms provide greater freedom
and power to ordinary individuals and are a
quicker way of distributing information. The
downside is that a lot of information being passed
around is biased and inaccurate.
Indigenous Media
• Indigenous means native, local, originating or
produced naturally in a particular region
• Indigenous knowledge is unique to a specific
culture or society; it is not written down.
• Indigenous communication is the transmission of
information through local channels or forms. It is a
means by which culture is preserved, handed down
and adapted.
• Indigenous media and information refers to
the original information created by a local
group of people. This also refers to content
about indigenous peoples that may be
distributed through dominant forms of media
or through forms of communication unique to
their people group.
Importance of Indigenous Media and
Information
• Popular media cannot reach some rural areas. While print,
broadcast and new media have a wide reach, there are still
areas that these forms of media have not reached.
• Indigenous media and information are highly credible
because they are near the source and are seldom circulated
for profit.
• Indigenous media are channels for change, education and
development because of its direct access to local channels.
Ignoring indigenous media and information can result in
development and education programs that are irrelevant
and ineffective.
Forms of indigenous media and their local examples:
a. folk or traditional media
b. gatherings and social organizations
c. direct observation
d. records (may be written, carved or oral)
e. oral instruction