Developing evaluation criteria for podcasts

The Association for College and Research Libraries' Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education speak of new challenges for individuals in evaluating and understanding information available through multiple media, such as aural material. However, little has been published discussing specific evaluation criteria for online audio media, specifically podcasts. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not evaluation criteria used to assess print material transfer to podcasts. The author surveyed eleven library graduate school students and one library graduate professor over a four-week period. Respondents listened to either Nature Podcast or Science Talk and filled out a two-part questionnaire. Analysis of the data demonstrated respondents experienced difficulty in assessing audience, bias/point of view, scope/coverage, and accuracy in podcasts using print evaluation criteria. The results of this study indicate additional research is needed to clearly define evaluation criteria for podcasts.