Fact Check Your Information for Accuracy to Make Sound Decisions

Thanks to technological advancements, there is a goldmine of information available on the World Wide Web today. Gone are the days when you have to painstakingly research in the library amidst stacks of dusty, musty books. Now, without leaving the comforts of your home, information is right there at your fingertips. There are many kinds of useful information on the internet ranging from different topics, such as money-saving tips, parenting advice, how to start a small business, or how to invest in the foreign exchange market. Getting so much information is easy. The overload of too much info becomes the problem. The main consideration now is how do you filter which is the most reliable source of information. Here are some things that you can do to ensure that what you are getting is actually useful information.

Evaluate the Website

Many websites offer valuable content that does not reveal the author. Since you cannot check the background of the one writing the piece, you have to evaluate the entire website itself and the company behind it. For instance, investing in currencies is popular these days, so people often go to various sites that speak of the most valuable currency and the weakest ones.

People seeking to invest do this so they can make an informed choice about where their hard-earned money is going. They are curious about investing in the foreign exchange and they might want to know about the most valuable currency in the world or how the Iranian rial is the lowest currency and why.

To check the reliability of the site, read reviews and verify the site ratings. In addition, you can read their “about” page and check what their mission and vision is all about. Sometimes, they will indicate their team members. On top of those, read the comment boxes to see people’s feedback.

Check What They Are Selling

There is always a cost of doing business. Even blogging to bring information and relevant articles have a price. It is critical to find out the source of income of the website you are getting formation from. This can help you judge the quality of information that they are providing.

To illustrate, a site selling iPhones will surely not speak negatively about the Apple brand. Now, see the bias of information right there. Look for a source that will give you more objective material and one that is not clouded by personal gain.

Only Consider Primary Sources

If you want real facts, then opt for primary sources of information and not curate content. This means reading materials that the researches or stakeholders actually took time to write. Some examples are journal articles, theses, statistics, government reports, and the like. How the URL’s domain suffix ends also matters. If it ends in a dot org or dot edu, then it is considered more trustworthy than a plain dot com or dot net.

Search on Google Scholar

Utilize Google Scholar to search for both free and paid-for full-text articles and books from academic publishers. The service itself is free of charge, so you can see the titles you like. Once you are able to gain access, then you can determine if the material you want is free or needs a payment. Google Scholar kicks it up a notch by providing you with both printed and digital sources. On top of that, each piece will give a clear list of citations and references. There are links to peer-reviewed academic journals, thesis abstracts, and technical reports.

Check the Credibility of the Author

The identity of who is writing what you are reading matters a great deal. What makes him an authority in the subject matter? Why should you believe him? Find information on the author through his own sites, Twitter account, and LinkedIn profile. Try and see what this author has written before. It is critical to ascertain the credentials of the writer because this has an impact on the authenticity of the information you are reading.

The Bottom Line

These are just a few suggestions that you need to do in order to find reliable, accurate, and genuine information on the internet. This might mean you will need to allot more time in checking your reading material, but doing this evaluation is critical especially if the information your researching for has big consequences. To illustrate, topics like investing in the foreign exchange need to be accurate because false information will lead to huge monetary losses. Fact check your information all the time so you can make sound decisions.