Evaluating Information Assignment

By: Jalen Wilson Date: 9-18-20 Evaluating Information Assignment Question: Are online classes better than taking traditional classes? This topic is important to me because I’m deciding what I should do in the next three years of college. I have been thinking about just taking classes online since I started college that way and I’m used to college being that way. The audience of this question is for college students and high school seniors who are also deciding which is better. Citations: Popular source: Cyr, Miranda. “Online vs. In-Person Classes.” ​College Times: Required Reading​, 16 May 2019, www.ecollegetimes.com/online-vs-in-person-classes. Scholarly source​:​ ​Angiello, Roanne. “Study Looks at Online Learning vs. Traditional Instruction.” ​Education Digest​, vol. 76, no. 2, Oct. 2010, pp. 56–59. ​EBSCOhost,​ search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=fth&AN=53775674. Summary Statement: The sources that were chosen are good sources of information and will help me learn more about which is better between online and traditional classes. The scholarly source may be better when getting information, but the popular source should be acceptable giving close information. The sources will pass the CRAAP test, the scholarly source may do better than the popular source due to the scholarly source having all the information for me already, and since it is used by schools. Popular source: Currency1. The information was published in May of 2019. It has not been updated since it was published. 2. My topic requires some up to date information for that technology has changed over the years and how the blog helped explain the pros and cons of online education in recent years. Relevancy1. Much of the information relates to the topic, the information includes two students’ perspectives on the types of education. It helps inform me more about the topic, showing the benefits that can come with online classes. In-person classes can help with recommendations and relationships with professors, online help with working at your pace, and having a flexible schedule. 2. This information is targeted to college students deciding which choice is best for them to make. 3. The information does meet my research requirements as it gives me good information and showed me the difference between online and regular classes since I didn’t know. Authority1. The blog doesn’t share information on the author’s credentials, so I don’t know if they are a good source to write about this topic. 2. The publisher and organization are good sources to use, “college times” gives much information to many students and more people looking for information. Accuracy1. The facts and data I know don’t seem false since its from college students also. 2. The source is supported by students talking about what they have been through and it also includes a little chart talking about the two types of classes or learning styles. 3. I don’t know if the information was reviewed by anyone, but it may have been reviewed by editors. Purpose1. The author’s purpose in writing this blog was to inform students about the difference between online and traditional classes. Purpose changes things because sometimes things aren’t informational if it isn’t to inform, some could have lies or just be someone’s opinion. 2. The author doesn’t omit obvious fact, everything that they know they put it out there. Everything that you can get about which classes are better is in the blog. 3. There is no prejudice, the blog shows students in each environment and how it benefits them, showing the pros and cons of each. This source is good, but as I began to put is through the CRAAP test is started to see some red flags, and now know that when it comes to popular sources I still need to do better in picking them. This source is still usable as the information is great, just don’t know where it’s from. I would still use this source to help inform me and answer my questions. Some red flags were I didn’t know about the author and on how I didn’t know if it was reviewed by anyone with good credentials. Scholarly source: Currency1. This information was published in April of 2010, and it hasn’t been updated since then. 2. My topic does require the most up to date information, but having resources from the past doesn’t hurt so that you can compare two different time periods. Relevancy1. A lot of the information relates to my topic and answer it by conducting a study and showing that students who perform online do better than those in traditional. That doing classes online and traditional was the best for students in regards to performance. 2. The information is towards college students and people who want to know which is better between online and traditional. 3. This information does meet my research requirements by telling me on how online schools help and make students do better, along with information that study shows on the performance of students in both environments. Authority1. The article shows the author’s credibility and she has good credentials with being a professor of business administration and an online instructor at Bergen Community College. The authors name is Roanne Angiello. 2. The authors publisher is a good source of information publishing may information pieces for people and even being used on Galileo. Accuracy1. There are no facts or data that seem to be false, everything looks good and is information coming from studies conducted. 2. The information has sourced from U.S. department of education and the information they had on the performance of students taking classes both ways. 3. It seems like it was checked by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education so it could be condensed, and check for use. Purpose 1. The authors purpose in this article seems to persuade the audience why online classes are better, and the article mostly talks about online classes. This affects my use of information by picking out pieces that are valuable to use and not just someone’s opinion. 2. The author does not omit obvious facts, the author puts everything out there for the audience. 3. There is no prejudice or bias that the authors put out, she just takes about how online school benefits students for the best. This is a great source to use, putting it through the CRAAP test it had some red flags but not a lot to where the information isn’t useable. This source had a red flag as I didn’t know if the publisher was really a good source of information, but I knew that the author was. I would still use this source as it is information and gives information from studies and the board of education.