LibGuides: US Government Documents Fundamentals: Evaluating documents

Evaluation Criteria

Government information can be evaluated by the same criteria used for other types of information. These are some commonly used criteria:

authority - if there is a personal author are credentials provided? Does the topic seem within the purview of the authoring agency? Does the document include a statement about why it is published?

reliability - is the information dependable? Are the conclusions well-supported?

accuracy - is the document free from error? Do any watchdog organizations dispute the agency's stand or findings?

balance/objectivity/bias - is there perspective or a sense of impartiality? Are diverse sources cited? Does a hearing draw on testimony from a variety of experts? (Remember, sources with a clear perspective are valuable - you know where the perspective is coming from and can provide context for it as you discuss it in your paper.)

timeliness - has the document been published in a timely manner related to content, data, or events?

Addressing Source Accuracy and Reliability

Consult and cite more than one source. If you have a government source, look for other research or discussion to support it or to provide a different viewpoint.
Check author or witness credentials. For authors or witnesses look for biographical information that includes education, training, and previous positions. What other publications are credited to the person? What type of publications have they appeared in? What is their stakeholder role?
Is the topic one of partisan debate? Have FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests been involved? Be aware of particularly contentious issues and who is speaking to them.

Keep in mind that government information comes in many different forms and is used for many different purposes. An example: information included in the testimony of someone participating in a congressional hearing can be very different from government agency-generated scientific research or statistics. It's important to understand the context surrounding the publication, and ask yourself questions such as: does the authoring agency/committee/etc. have a particular agenda or mandate? Who is the intended audience for this information? etc.

Watchdog in the Government

There are many watchdog agencies, such as those below, that the government has set up to monitor itself. Do you know of others?

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
An independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. The head of GAO, the Comptroller General of the United States, is appointed to a 15-year term by the President from a slate of candidates Congress proposes.
USAspending.gov
As required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (Transparency Act), the site provides the public with information about how their tax dollars are spent.
FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)
The center's best-known job is to evaluate new drugs before they can be sold. The center's evaluation not only prevents quackery, but also provides doctors and patients the information they need to use medicines wisely. CDER ensures that drugs, both brand-name and generic, work correctly and that their health benefits outweigh their known risks.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974 to enable the nation to safely use radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while ensuring that people and the environment are protected. The NRC regulates commercial nuclear power plants and other uses of nuclear materials, such as in nuclear medicine, through licensing, inspection and enforcement of its requirements
Federal Election Commission
Monitors election finances. The Campaign Finance Disclosure Portal provides campaign finance data complete with navigation maps, charts, and search tools and methods to download data sets for analysis.
Congressional Budget Office
"Since 1975, CBO has produced independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the Congressional budget process. Each year, the agency’s economists and budget analysts produce dozens of reports and hundreds of cost estimates for proposed legislation."
Inspectors General
...today, there are 72 statutory IGs across the Federal government. Statutory IGs are structurally unique within the Federal government. The stated purpose of the IG Act is to create independent and objective units within each agency whose duty it is to combat waste, fraud,and abuse in the programs and operations of that agency."

Citizen Watchdog Organizations

Another way to form an opinion on government reliability is to see what is being written and reported by government watchdog groups. Many organizations have been formed out of the desire of citizens to keep an eye on government policy, spending, and integrity.

Do these example watchdog organizations have their own bias? Find out about them before you trust them!

Union of Concerned Scientists
"Citizens and scientists for environmental solutions."
GovTrack.us
"Comprehensive legislative tracking for everyday citizens"
Center for Budget and Policy Priorities
Research and analysis on budget and tax policies, and needs of low-income families and individuals
Citizens Against Government Waste
"Eliminate waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency in the federal government."
Center for Effective Government
"Enhance public understanding and appreciation of what government does and how it operates in all of our communications."
Note: The Center for Effective Government (formerly OMB Watch) ceased operations as of March 2016. The majority of work and materials has been passed on to the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) . This site is being maintained as an archive of materials produced.
OpenTheGovernment.org
"Americans for less secrecy, more democracy."
Defending Rights & Dissent
Grassroots movement to protect rights and liberties/political expression granted in the Constitution.
Center for Democracy and Technology
"Keeping the Internet open, innovative, free."
POGO Project on Government Oversight
"Exposing corruption, exploring solutions"
Center for Public Integrity
"Investigative journalism in the public interest"
Common Cause
"Holding Power Accountable"; "...the original citizens’ lobby, founded in 1970..., and still battling for open, honest and accountable government in Washington, D.C. and in all 50 states."
FactCheck.org
Consumer advocate for voters, monitoring factual accuracy of campaign verbage and text
Sunlight Foundation
"Transparency in Government"
Government Accountability Project
"Promote corporate and government accountability by protecting whistleblowers, advancing occupational free speech, and empowering citizen activists."
ClearSpending.org
Keeps track of the government site USAspending.gov by taking data from other federal reporting systems and comparing it with just the grants data (about 46% of spending) found in USASpending.gov across three categories: Consistency, Completeness and Timeliness.
Vital Statistics on Congress
A joint effort by American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institute in collaboration with the Campaign Finance Institute, presenting impartial data on Congress and its members.
National Institute on Money in State Politics
The Institute operates the web site Follow the Money.org, a "free, nonpartisan, verifiable archive of contributions to political campaigns in all 50 states."

Libraries

US Government Documents Fundamentals

Evaluation Criteria

Addressing Source Accuracy and Reliability

Watchdog in the Government

Citizen Watchdog Organizations

Political Fact-Checking