What is the credibility of secondary sources? If the material does not measure up to expected standards of scholarly work, it may still be of use to you. To ensure you include only valid information in your research, evaluate your sources using the criteria below. Who are the intended readers and what is the publication's purpose? Web. Could the evidence be used to draw other conclusions? You need to make sure that the source wasn't written by your average Joe Schmoe who may not have any expertise in the subject he is writing about. (2022, December 07). How do you evaluate the credibility of a source? California State University developed it in 2004 to help students remember best practices for evaluating content. Once you have an idea of the types of sources you need for your research, you can spend time evaluating individual sources. While a scientific study showed that Wikipedia is as accurate as professionally generated encyclopedias. What about the news? If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. For a source to be considered credible it must meet five main obligations: Currency, Relevance . Indeed, many articles start out by giving oneperhaps not particularly evenhandedview of the subject, and it is after a long process of discussion, debate, and argument that they gradually take on aconsensusform. by These types of sources usually dont include a bibliography and are written for a popular, rather than academic, audience. If you need some guidance on finding good sources, set up a research consultation with Columbia Libraries to find credible academic sources to support your work. Always seek your second opinion ahead of the deadline for your project. Last modified on Friday, August 12, 2008 Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. Timeliness. Determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth, Increase the quality of the information you consume. Its possible to find many news articles online, both from digital newspapers and websites that post news articles. When evaluating a personal website, find out what you can about the author and their affiliations. Sometimes your instructor will require you to incorporate certain types of resources into your research, but for other assignments, you will be looking for sources on your own. However, some scholarly sources may be too dense for your particular research needs, so you may need to turn to sources with a more general audience in mind. There are a lot of sources out there, and it can be hard to tell whats credible and what isnt at first glance. The former describes the acts in terms of the law (an objective source) whereas the second example judges the actions according to the author's own belief of what is a despicable act. Sometimes, citing a scholar who goes against the tide of established thinking provides you with ammunition for a compelling devils advocate argument. There is a way to contact the author or publisher of my source. In fact, even Wikipedia itself encourages its users to take caution when gathering information from its site. What authority does the author have? However, it can be a good starting point for general information and finding other sources. Are there links to other sources on the page, and are they trustworthy? How can you tell if a source is credible? Audience. Is there an About Us page, or a way to contact the author or organization if you need clarification on a claim they have made? Together, these criteria form what is known as the CRAAP test. When was the website last updated? Are your sources credible? Does the source support its arguments and conclusions with evidence? If you don't find your topic discussed, try searching for some synonyms in the Index. For example, the BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) banned all tobacco research funded by tobacco companies in 2013 because they determined that the special interests of the research funders would lead to biased, unreliable conclusions. 2. One of the best ways to evaluate source credibility is the CRAAP test. One of the first steps in evaluating a source is to locate more information about the author. You may have found good information, but your provider can tell you whether it's good for you. The criteria for evaluating each point depend on your research topic. Like other encyclopedias, Wikipedia can provide valuable information about certain topics. Propaganda is the (usually biased) spreading of information for a specific person, group, event, or cause. Websites are not subject to the peer-review and editing process that academic journals or books go through, and can be published by anyone at any time. Privacy policy. December 7, 2022. But how can you tell the good from the bad? If your source does not contain any of these elements, consider reading the first few paragraphs of the source and determining whether it includes enough information on your topic for it to be relevant. Privacy policy. This is not to say that less-established scholars work is not credible. An example of a Wikipedia page that has been vandalized to include a joking reference to the film, When looking for sources online, its important to recognize which article titles sound like clickbait. As you continue to encounter more sources, evaluating them for credibility will become easier. Your resources need to be recent enough for your topic. Evaluating Sources for Credibility What does it mean for a source to be credible? The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching. The handout below can be downloaded to help walk through the process. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. There are a lot of sources out there, and it can be hard to tell what's credible and what isn't at first glance. Is the journal indexed in academic databases? Language & Education: An International Journal 27.2 (2013): 110-128. What are examples of academic dishonesty? Reducing the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables does not influence the consumption of these foods. NOTE: If you are researching varied opinions and biases on a topic, then such sources would be appropriate. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. letters, interviews). PNAS Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 111.43 (2014): 15316-15321. Beware of using Wikipedia as a source for academic or journalistic writing. The reliability (source, evidence, truthfulness) of the information. 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