Choosing credible sources
Choosing credible sources is essential for anyone conducting research or seeking trustworthy information, especially in an age where information is abundant and easily accessible. A credible source is defined as a reliable provider of accurate facts, which may include individuals, organizations, or publications. Identifying such sources requires critical analysis, starting with the author's qualifications and expertise in the subject matter. Key indicators include their educational background, professional experience, and affiliations with reputable institutions.
Additionally, the credibility of the publisher or sponsoring organization plays a significant role; sources from academic journals, government agencies, and respected organizations are typically more reliable than those from personal websites or tabloids. Understanding the author's purpose is also vital, as motivations can shape the information presented, whether the intent is to inform, persuade, or entertain. Finally, evaluating the content itself—considering the publication date, supporting evidence, and the presence of citations—can further aid in determining a source's credibility. This careful scrutiny is crucial in navigating the vast landscape of information available today.
Choosing credible sources
Individuals conducting background research on a topic or seeking information for a research paper or presentation need information from credible sources. A credible source is a trustworthy provider of information. It is a person or an organization that offers reliable, accurate facts on a topic. Knowing how to identify credible sources is an important skill.
Overview
We live in an information age. That means information and informational texts can be found everywhere. Printed materials such as journals, magazines, and newspapers offer information for their readers. Today, nearly all print sources also offer digital versions of their content. Further, some sources, including many academic journals, only publish their materials digitally. Thus, the internet makes it easy to find information on practically any topic. With a few strokes on a keyboard, internet users may access myriad websites on a subject.
While this abundance of information is convenient in many ways, it has drawbacks. Anyone can publish just about anything and claim that it is true—but of course not every word written on a subject is true.
Inaccurate information gets published when authors do not take the time to get the real facts. Some may present their opinion as fact or intentionally mislead their readers. This often happens when authors wish to persuade readers of a certain viewpoint. Like detectives, readers must look for clues to identify credible sources.
Who is the author?
The first step in identifying a credible source is to determine who wrote the material and how much expertise this person has in the subject area. In printed materials, find the biographical information that is usually included as part of the text. On websites, look for any “About the Author” information that may be provided.
As you review the author’s biographical information, look for clues that the author has authority in the content area. These clues might include academic degrees, professional licenses or certifications, work experience, or other credentials or qualifications. Look for the organizations, institutions, and/or associations that the author may be connected to or affiliated with. A credible author has most likely studied at a respected college or university and may conduct research or teach there. A credible author might be part of a government agency or employed by a corporation that is well-known in the discipline. A credible author might be a member of a professional organization or association.
These clues all help you determine the author’s expertise and authority level. Most individuals with expertise in a field will have a considerable amount of education or work experience. An author with no apparent expertise may still have a valid point of view. However, that author’s work may not be the best source of factual information.
Who is the publisher or sponsoring organization?
Readers should also identify the publisher or sponsoring organization of the print or digital material. Academic or professional journals, government agencies, and educational institutions tend to offer the most credible information. Tabloid-type magazines, personal websites, and wiki websites tend to offer the least credible information. These sources can be written by anyone, and their authors often have a biased or subjective point of view. Wiki sites, such as Wikipedia, are particularly problematic because they are developed collaboratively by a group of people; contributors do not usually need any particular qualifications to participate. Clickbait is another example of online content that is not credible. It is a kind of website that seeks to attract readers through sensationalized content that is often untrue. By publishing outrageous headlines, sites use clickbait as a way to gain as many "clicks" on their site as possible.
On the internet, you can usually identify a sponsoring organization through its website address, or URL. The website address shows the type of domain. For example, educational institutions use the .edu top-level domain in their names (such as www.harvard.edu) while government sites use the .gov domain (such as www.nih.gov). Although many domain levels exist, here are the most common:
- Educational institutions: .edu
- Government sites: .gov
- Organizations or associations: .org
- Commercial or generic sites: .com
What is the author’s purpose?
Readers should determine the author’s purpose or motivation in providing the information. Remember that authors share information for many reasons. They may wish to inform or educate the audience about a particular topic. They might try to persuade readers to take action or agree with a certain point of view. They might try to sell or promote a person or product. Or they might seek to entertain the audience or arouse emotions such as sympathy.
Sometimes an author’s purpose is straightforward and clear; other times it needs to be uncovered by looking for signs of bias, a tendency to believe that some people or ideas are better than others. Bias is usually based on opinions. Pay attention to the words the author uses. The author should use objective words instead of emotional words. Consider the author’s tone or attitude toward both the subject and the audience as well. Their tone should be straightforward and neutral. It should not be passionate, humorous, or sarcastic.
Consider how the author develops the content. The author should use formal writing instead of informal writing. They should use language that is specific and technical. Be aware of sources using language that is simplistic or grammatically incorrect.
What can you tell about the content?
Look for the date of publication, which indicates when the content was published. The currency of the content is a key piece of information. Older content may still be valid, but readers should understand that newer research or conclusions may be available elsewhere.
Take note of the evidence the author uses to support his or her point of view. The author should rely on facts and statistics and not opinions. A credible source often includes quotes and citations from experts. It often contains footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography.
Bibliography
"Evaluating Digital Sources." Online Writing Lab (OWL), Purdue University, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research‗and‗citation/conducting‗research/evaluating‗sources‗of‗information/evaluating‗digital‗sources.html. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
“Evaluating Sources: General Guidelines.” Online Writing Lab (OWL), Purdue University, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research‗and‗citation/conducting‗research/evaluating‗sources‗of‗information/general‗guidelines.html. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
"Evaluating Web Sources." Harvard Guide to Using Sources, Harvard University, usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/evaluating-web-sources-0. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
"Is It Legit? Five Steps for Vetting a News Source." News Literacy Project, newslit.org/educators/resources/is-it-legit/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.