V2.24

How To Evaluate Information Sources 9-16-25

"I don't know what to believe anymore" is a phrase heard all to often in this complicated world. This is understandable considering the plethora of information sources at our fingertips, some better than others. I retired as an Research and Development engineer after 50 years. Developing a good product requires good understanding, beliefs do not matter. Good understanding requires good research. Herein is what I have learned on the subject.

This refers to all information sources including broadcast new outlets, newspapers, cable news channels, government publications, science publications, online blogs, social media and personal associations like friends or co-workers.

1) Does the source issue corrections or retractions?
As humans we all make mistakes but should hope to learn from them. Far too many sources repeat information that is categorically false but is attributed to another source.
Is it worse to lie or is it worse to repeat a lie? Well it depends on the size of the audience, which suggests a scale of confidence. A prominent public figure may lie and have the lie quickly repeated millions of times, often with disastrous results. An individual may lie but the lie likely will not be repeated widely. If a source with a large audience lies then we should take this very, very seriously.

2) Does the source have the expertise to speak on the subject?
You would not call a plumber to fix an electrical problem. Nor should you give confidence to a source that has little knowledge of the subject matter.

3) Does the source provide reference information?
Can we look up the data and verify that the source represented it accurately? Too often "journalists" will state as fact wholly unverifiable data which should downgrade our confidence in that source.
Every day our media spluts out stories with titles like "Joe Blow indicates support for blah,blah in a speech". The article may be pages long of blather from the "journalist" but only includes several short quotes from the speech and no reference to the entire speech. The result is that we know what the journalist thinks but not what Joe Blow thinks.

4) No source is entirely wrong or entirely right.
Too many good ideas get discarded because the person or institution has also pushed stupid ideas at one time or another. Fox and CNN both provide useful information and commentary. Fox and CNN are both biased and provide misinformation. To fully accept either and reject the other results in a skewed perception of reality, an information silo.
There are good sources of information at our fingertips. My next diatribe will discuss the subject in detail.
The subject of how to evaluate information (including lies) will also be in a subsequent paper.