Resources need to be evaluated to ensure that they represent the diverse voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- Is the author an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person?
- Is there acknowledgment of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander participation or has it been endorsed by an Indigenous governed group?
- Is the material acceptable to the people that it is written about?
Critically examine how Indigenous people are positioned throughout the resource:
- Is the resource current?
- Is the resource accurate and truthful?
- Is the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies acknowledged?
- Or does it homogenise and/or generalise about Indigenous people?
- Could terminology used cause offence to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
- Are images used respectful, appropriately captioned and relevant to the text?
- Does the resource share secret/sacred aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture?
- Does the resource perpetuate the concept of Terra Nullius?
The AIATSIS Guide to evaluating and selecting education resources provides an excellent overview and guide to the selection of resources.
The University of Queensland's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives:check and organise your resources guide has a very practical checklist of questions to consider.
