Coastal Services Center

Evaluating information means thinking critically about information, asking questions, and applying individual judgement. Learning how to quickly determine the authority and relevance of information is an important information survival skill.

On the Internet, there are no filters and there are no Web standards to ensure accuracy. In fact, the lines between factual information and commercial advertising are not always clear. On the Internet there is good information on bad sites and bad information on good sites. Information, particularly pertaining to complex environmental issues, can be interpreted from many perspectives and can sometimes seem contradictory. Therefore, it is important to have a basis by which you can assess the information you are presented.