MicroMasters® at the University of Edinburgh

The ability to critically evaluate information is a core skill required for academic endeavour in any subject and at any level. It is one of the principal features of good academic work. It is the process by which we ask questions of a text, author or topic under discussion. It is not only a matter of understanding an argument, being able to pick holes in it or identify logical fallacies, but also involves: 

• Being aware of different perspectives of an argument 
• Testing the accuracy and soundness of any claims made 
• Assessing the accuracy and soundness of any evidence used to make those claims
• Looking for, and assessing, assumptions made in a text 

Academic enquiry is dynamic in nature, and it is rare that there will be a clear cut 'critical' response to a text. It is also vital that the same critical approach is applied to your own work, as well as that of others.

The resources in this section are good starting points for developing your skills in evaluating information critically:

• Evaluating academic or scholarly resources
• Evaluating information on the internet
• Evaluating data

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