Have you ever thought about how much you rely on information in your life? Whether you're preparing a report for your boss, listening to your child's version of a story, or reading an article in the newspaper, you rely on information from a variety of sources to get through your day. Because information plays such a critical role in our lives, it's especially important to understand the difference between good, bad, and questionable information, as well as how to find, evaluate, and use information to serve your purposes.

Reflect:

Think about the sources of information you rely on the most and what makes those sources so appealing to you. For each source, ask yourself:

• Does this source always provide accurate information?
• Does this source provide original information, or does it share information obtained elsewhere?
• Is this source trustworthy? Why or why not?
• Can I use the information from this source at my job?
• Would I recommend the information from this source to others?
• How might others view the credibility of this source?
• Take a few minutes to learn more about the CRAAP method by reading "Evaluate Sources" from Section 5.3 of your myBook. What does the acronym CRAAP stand for? How is this test used? Why is it important?

answer the following questions:

• In what ways can developing your information literacy help you in your personal and professional life? Provide at least one specific example.
• What types or sources of information that you have used in the past might not be appropriate for academic writing? Why?