Skip to Main Content

Serena: Smart information use - A critical mindset: Home

Introduction

To develop new ideas, you can ask yourself what information you need to find about:

  • existing similar ideas
  • solutions for sub-aspects
  • how parts of solutions might work

When searching for suitable sources or literature, you will find all kinds of information. However, not all of this information is of the same quality. It is important to develop a critical mindset so that you can evaluate the information that you find.

The two main criteria for assessing information are relevance (usefulness) and reliability.

Assessing the relevance (usefulness) of information

In this context, relevance refers to the extent to which the information contributes to answering the research question.

You assess the information based on its content, level, format and currency.

You can assess the relevance of information using the following criteria: 

Content, level and format

  • Who is the information for (who is the intended audience)?
  • Is the information objective (a fact) or subjective (an opinion)? If it is an opinion, is it well-supported?
  • Is the information pitched at the right level (not too basic or too advanced)?
  • Did you review multiple sources before deciding to use this one?
  • Have you aimed to be as thorough as possible, considering different perspectives?
  • Does the type of source (book, article, thesis, etc.) match your information needs?

It is important that the content, level and format of the information is aligned with your research question and objectives.

Currency

  • When was the information published or posted?
  • Has the information been revised or updated?
  • Does the information reflect the current situation?
  • Are the links still working?

Note: An older book or article may still be relevant to your topic!

Critically evaluating information using checklists and posters

There are many tools available to help you critically evaluate information. A selection can be found here. Choose the ones that best support you in assessing the source critically.

Video: Using and evaluating information with the CRAAP test:

 

McMaster Libraries. (n.d.) How Library Stuff works: How to evaluate Resources (The CRAAP Test). [Video]. You Tube.https://youtu.be/_M1-aMCJHFg

Fake news

Assessing the reliability of information

In this context, reliability refers to the extent to which you can trust that the information is accurate.

 

Frances Willson Thompson Library. (n.d.) CRAAP Evaluating Information. You Tube. https://youtu.be/y3PEmtlYeBQ

You can assess the reliability of information using the following criteria: 

Authority

  • Is the author an authority? Is the author a recognized expert in their field? Which organization does the author work for? What is known about the author?
  • Is the organization reputable? Who manages the website? A document or website from a respected and well-known organization is generally more reliable than one from an obscure foundation with vague or questionable objectives.
  • Is the author or organization sponsored? Sponsorship is not necessarily a problem, but be aware that commercial interests may influence the content.
  • Is there some form of quality control? For example, is there an editorial board? Have the articles been peer-reviewed? Peer review significantly increases reliability, as two or more experts in the field have reviewed the content.

Accuracy

  • Are the facts correct? Can they be confirmed by another source? Note that if you repeatedly see the exact same wording, the information may have been copied and pasted, and it is unlikely that the website creators have verified it.
  • Are opinions supported by facts?
  • Is the information from a primary or secondary source?

Objectivity

  • What is the purpose of the information? Is it intended to inform, persuade, promote, etc.?
  • Does the content consist of facts or opinions?
  • Is the topic presented from multiple perspectives?

Quality of the source

  • How precise and detailed is the information?
  • Does the source appear professional (e.g. layout and structure)?
  • Is the information free or paid?
  • Where does the information come from? Is it published by a university, college or government institution? Did you find it through a library?

Verifiability

  • Are sources cited? What is the quality of those sources?
  • Can the accuracy and completeness of the information be verified?

Algorithms and filter bubbles

TRT World. (10 aug 2022). What are the Algorithms hiding from you?. [Video]. You Tube. https://youtu.be/YzbYSwyDE_g

Tips for escaping your filter bubble

  • Use a different search engine than you normally do and compare the results. For example, try Google, Bing and DuckDuckGo. Do you get the same results, or are they different?
  • Use an incognito window, InPrivate window or private tab when browsing the internet.
  • Do you enjoy watching videos on YouTube? Try logging out and opening YouTube again. You will then see the most popular videos. Is there anything that suits your taste?

Source: HAN. (2025, May 7). Masterclass literatuur zoeken: Filterbubbel. Libguides. Retreived June 20, 2025, from https://libguides.bibliotheek.han.nl/workshop_afstudeerders/filterbubbel 

Evaluating and recognizing GenAI content

It is likely that the information you find online will increasingly consist of content that has been partially or wholly generated by GenAI. To assess whether content has been created using an AI tool, you can look out for the following indicators (Rubens, 2024; Van Empel, n.d.):

  • Language and word choice: AI often uses certain words that humans would not typically choose, such as “fundamentally” or “delve”. AI also tends to repeat itself more frequently.
  • Grammar and spelling: Surprisingly, AI-generated texts are often too flawless. Real people tend to make small grammatical or spelling errors. A perfectly written piece that lacks brilliance may indicate AI involvement.
  • Use of Anglicisms: Are there English words, spellings, currencies or terms that don’t match the context?
  • Citations and references: Are proper citations or references missing, or are the cited sources incorrect?
  • Level of detail: Does the text contain an unusually high level of detail or specific knowledge that doesn’t match the rest of the content?
  • Consistency of style: Are there noticeable differences in writing style or tone compared to other texts on the website?
  • AI-specific disclaimers: Does the text include disclaimers or warnings that are typical of AI-generated content?
  • Text structure: Is there an unusual structure, such as repeated conclusions or a standard essay format?
  • Local and current knowledge: Is there a lack of specific knowledge about local or recent events?
  • Exaggerated language: Is the language overly eloquent or unusually formal compared to the usual tone of the website/source?
  • Timeliness and dating: Are there no references to recent events, especially after a certain date?
  • Use of perspective: Are there inconsistencies or errors in the use of perspective (first or third person)?
  • Use of visual aids: Are expected graphs, tables or other visual elements missing from the text?
  • Length and content: AI tends to produce overly long, elaborate answers that miss the core message.
  • Emotion and personality: AI-generated texts often lack genuine emotion, even when discussing feelings. The tone is usually flat and filled with clichés.
  • Formatting: Sometimes the formatting gives AI use away. For example, straight quotation marks in a document that normally uses curly quotation marks may suggest the text was copied from ChatGPT.
  • Missing or non-existent sources: AI-generated texts often lack source references or cite sources that do not exist or are unrelated to the content.
  • Structure: AI loves lists and bullet points. A sudden use of unnumbered lists may be suspicious. AI also tends to use standard transitions between paragraphs.
  • Odd details: AI can make strange mistakes, such as incorrect references. There may also be anachronisms in a story. Generative AI tools may even fabricate content if they cannot produce an answer based on available data. This can happen with specific questions or niche topics.

In all these cases, there is a possibility that the content was generated by an AI tool. Always be critical of the information you choose to use.

Sources used‍‍‍‍

Rubens, W. (2024, September 10). Hoe herken je AI-teksten zonder technologie? WilfredRubens.com. Retreived
May 19, 2025, from https://www.te-learning.nl/blog/hoe-herken-je-ai-teksten-zonder-technologie/

Van Empel, R. (n.d.). De checklist voor het herkennen van AI gebruik: Fraude / plagiaatcheck voor gebruik AI door leerlingen op taal, kennisniveau, persoonlijke toon en snelheid van werk. AI Scholen. Retreived May 19, 2025, from https://www.aischolen.nl/informatie/de-checklist-voor-het-herkennen-van-ai-gebruik