An essential component of information literacy is the ability to use "information with an understanding and acknowledgement of cultural, ethical, economic, and social issues surrounding the use of information" (ANZIL, 2004, p.22). When engaging with information about Indigenous People and Indigenous Knowledges it is necessary to critically evaluate both the content and authorship of the source to determine if it is appropriate for use. It is recommended sources using Indigenous Knowledge:
Where sources do not adequately meet the above criteria, it is suggested to look for alternatives. It is acceptable if an individual wishes to use a source that is found to be problematic, however it is necessary to be clear about the sources limitations and justify its use in the wider context of Indigenous Knowledges and authorship.
Faulkhead et al. (2023) from the Indigenous Archives Collective have released the Indigenous Referencing Guidance for Indigenous Knowledges toolkit, which provides the decision tree below, designed to support evaluating the appropriateness of resources.
Indigenous Archives Collective, 2023, CC BY-NC-SA
Content.
Does the source use outdates/racist terminology? Is it a contemporary source? Or could it be? Does the source contain content that was collected without informed consent? Does the source centre Indigenous ways of being, doing and knowing?
Authorship.
Is the author Indigenous? Or is it partnership research supported by community? Does the author cite Indigenous authors? Are there Indigenous authors in the field that you could cite instead? What is the author’s relationship to the knowledge?
Do you still want to use this resource?
If No, consider using a course that is Indigenous authored and preferences first-person lived experience.
If Yes, but the source is problematic. Ensure it is used outlining its limitations, and refer to the Indigenous knowledge referencing guide.
If yes, the source is appropriate. Great! You’ve found an appropriate source that attributes Indigenous knowledge and/or is Indigenous authored and preferences first-person lived experience.
Bundy, A. (Ed.). (2004). Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework (2nd ed.). Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy. https://adbu.fr/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Infolit-2nd-edition.pdf
Indigenous Archives Collective, Faulkhead, S; Thorpe, K; Sentance, N; Booker, L; & R Barrowcliffe. (2023). Indigenous Referencing Guidance for Indigenous Knowledges. Indigenous Archives Collective and the UTS Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research. https://members.caval.edu.au/media/images/Documents/CRIG/CACIK/CAVAL_Indigenous_Knowledges_Citation_Guide.pdf
When was this source published?
How old are the references and data used?
Has this source, or its data, been updated?
Does this type of information get updated?
Is there likely to be more recent information available elsewhere?
Is this information relevant to your assignment? Is there likely to be better information?
Is this aimed at the correct audience?
Who wrote it? What are their qualifications?
Where do they work? Who do they work for?
Are they likely to have a good understanding of this field?
Is the information reliable?
Can you find the original source?
What is the quality of the presentation? Are there significant errors?
Do the conclusions match the data?
Have all sides been considered?
Why has the article been written?
Is there any obvious bias? Is the author or their employer likely to get a benefit out of the recommendations?
Is it recommending a particular course of action or therapy? Does the data support this? Are any alternatives considered?
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