They are usually part of a series or follow a theme. Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars. There are several ways of determining if an author is credible depending on the type of source. Do they agree or disagree with other scholars? For tips on getting a second opinion and evaluating non-academic sources, read on! While this is a good first step, it cant tell you for sure if a source is actually relevant to your research. At the bottom of most Wikipedia pages, you can find a list of sources that will take you to other pages (see image below). Make sure the source is written by a trustworthy author and/or institution. However, it can be a good starting point for general information and finding other sources. George, T. The author's level of expertise on the topic he or she is writing about could take the form of an advanced degree or other extensive experience in the field. The reliability (source, evidence, truthfulness) of the information. Why is it important to use these sources? Approved. How to Evaluate the Credibility of a Source, https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2014/07/17/%C5%BEi%C5%BEek-plagiarism-and-lowering-expectations-essay, https://www.angelo.edu/library/handouts/peerrev.php, https://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit07/internet07_08.phtml, http://www.aaupnet.org/aaup-members/membership-list, https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/choosingsources/chapter/author-and-publisher/, https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/online-health-information-it-reliable, http://www.theguardian.com/science/sifting-the-evidence/2013/oct/21/medical-research-health, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4530930.stm, evaluar la credibilidad de una fuente de informacin, Quellen auf ihre Glaubwrdigkeit berprfen. Does the website have a lot of advertisements or sponsored content? Are you writing a research paper? It should be evident who created the content. It just indicates that the source may not be reliable. Who are the intended readers and what is the publication's purpose? What are examples of academic dishonesty? Authority. Below are some suggestions for evaluating digital texts and a breakdown of the different types of sources available online. Coverage (relevance): Consider whether the source is relevant to your research and whether it covers the topic adequately for your . This is a great place to kick off your research. (74) $3.99. political)? June 2, 2022 Learn what questions to ask and some strategies to apply for determining if your source is or isn't appropriate for your project. 5 W information sourced from Springfield Technical Community College Library, University of Washington Libraries, and UCL Institute of Education Library guides. The importance of the information for your needs. A myriad of organisations offer analysis, data, intelligence and research on developments in international higher education. However, you might not want to quote a tweet by someone with an anonymous name and a Twitter handle such as @iluvscience321. Not all sources are created equal - especially when it comes to advanced research. How can I evaluate online (and offline) sources? Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. what a sources motive is. In these cases, you need to look at the institution or organization that is producing the information. Some information becomes dated when new research is available, but other older sources of information can still be useful and reliable fifty or a hundred years later. An example of a sensationalistic clickbait headline. Evaluating a source's credibility Evaluating the credibility of a source is an important way of sifting out misinformation and determining whether you should use it in your research. By using an algorithm, SEO works by locating keywords and sorting information for relevancy and accuracy. They are intended for a scholarly audience, include a full bibliography, and use scholarly or technical language. Being able to evaluate the credibility of information is an important skill used in school, work, and day-to-day life. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Copyright 1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. Whether or not your source is peer-reviewed, it is still a good idea to evaluate it based on these five factors. Because so much information is now available online, its important to know how to navigate digital sources versus print sources. In fact, even Wikipedia itself encourages its users to take caution when gathering information from its site. Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. "I found this very helpful in gathering resources to help my middle school students determine online credibility! A credible source is free from bias and backed up with evidence. Among them are the author's level of expertise, her point of view, and the source's publication date. It can be very unclear (often by design!) If the source appears to represent an opinion, does the author offer legitimate reasons for adopting that stance? Retrieved March 1, 2023, Because of this cross-checking process, the articles you find in databases will usually be more reliable than sources you might find simply by looking for them using a search engine. Some databases contain a broader field of information, while some are narrower. While not all large organizations produce unbiased information, more well-known organizations will most likely provide more credible information. But there are many articles published under the guise of scholarly work, by individuals claiming expertise but which are of highly questionable credibility. Finding the right sources for your specific topic is crucial for writing a scholarly, trustworthy dissertation, term paper, or even a program note. Are your sources credible? A credible source is free from bias and backed up with evidence. [For academic journals]: My source is peer-reviewed and published in a reputable and established journal. Similarly, Wikipedia is not considered a reliable source due to the fact that it can be edited by anyone at any time. Most clickbait articles want to shock the reader, so be aware of words like, Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students. As you read, try to understand the connections between the sources. an article that is evaluated by other experts in the field) or published by a university press, professional society, or scientific publisher (all of which also operate peer-review processes)? In this case, the lie is that there is a link between the websites students visit for writing help and their later susceptibility to criminal lifstyles. It is written by a trustworthy author or organization. Research 101: Credibility is contextual Students recognize that credibility may vary by context and information need. However, if you are examining an historical event, you may want to find primary documents from the time of the event, thus requiring older sources. For example, some websites are known for being more left-wing or right-wing. Does the information come from an author or organization that has authority to speak on your topic? The more questions you can answer "yes", the more likely the Web site is one of quality. East, Adelphi, MD 20783. Blogs can range in subject, from seasonal fashion tips to discussing every one of Emily Dickinsons poems. Popular sources like magazines and news articles are typically written by journalists. Likewise, if you are searching for information about what restaurant to go to tonight, it's important to use current information. For example, if you are researching about a time-sensitive topic such as a current event, then it's important to find sources that have been published recently. Is the author an expert in their field? Is the intended audience a scholarly one? You should carefully read the source to determine this. Propaganda is the (usually biased) spreading of information for a specific person, group, event, or cause. Are they appropriate for your needs? Is the author capable of representing the topic with a good structure? 4. Here is a list of potential credible sources list: 1. Websites that end in .edu also fall into the category of sometimes credible. Individual faculty often provide course websites that include information pertinent to classes they teach. 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. The last example above uses facts in a bad-faith way to take advantage of the audience's fear. Like most sources, you should try to find out information about the author and cross-check the information in the podcast to see if you can find it elsewhere. They are written to inform, not entertain, and assume a high level of previous knowledge because they are written specifically to people who have a vested professional interest in technical information relevant to their specialization. If students are coming from the Beginner Lessons, they should be able to talk about different media (e.g., images, videos, books, web pages, news articles) and different types of primary sources, as well (e.g., letters, journals, maps). References NOTE: If you are researching varied opinions and biases on a topic, then such sources would be appropriate. As such, you should be more cautious with it. How does the author use evidence? This position and the conclusions the author comes to should be supported by evidence from direct observation or from other sources. Useful approaches include the CRAAP test and lateral reading. When evaluating social media sites, its important to know more about a user beyond their username. Is the language objective or emotional? These texts will have scholarly credibility. You will likely use a combination of the three types over the course of your research process. This way, you can assess whether the source is representing the data accurately, or cherry-picking to give a misleading picture of the situation described in the primary source. Sometimes, citing a scholar who goes against the tide of established thinking provides you with ammunition for a compelling devils advocate argument. Secondary sources are articles that help people to understand their research topics. What else has the author written? Let's discuss in detail how these skills can help you in evaluating content. A database is a large collection of data, usually about one specific topic or idea. One way to do this is to look at paratextual material, or the parts of a work other than the text itself. Students are able to identify how a credible source could be used for a particular need. Citation Styles & ToolsQuick MLA, APA, and Chicago style guides for bibliographies; tools for storing and organizing sources. Any resourceprint, human, or electronicused to support your research topic must be evaluated for its credibility and reliability. For example, if you are researching a scientific topic, you will want to be sure you have the most up-to-date information. Almost all peer-reviewed journals require a subscription fee. If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the Cite this Scribbr article button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. Fish and Wildlife Services might provide the same family of information without agenda bias. Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. Authority. Newspapers can be a great way to glean first-hand information about a historical event or situate your research topic within a broader context. Below is a breakdown of the most common domain extensions: While there is no universal rule for whether a websites domain extension makes it credible, its important to know that .com, .org, and .net domain extensions can be purchased and used by anyone. To ensure you include only valid information in your research, evaluate your sources using the criteria below. Your resources need to be recent enough for your topic. If the material does not measure up to expected standards of scholarly work, it may still be of use to you. Evaluating Sources for Credibility - YouTube 0:00 / 3:14 Evaluating Sources for Credibility libncsu 4.88K subscribers Subscribe 1.9K Share Save 739K views 7 years ago What does it mean for a. Example of just one fallacious quotation that can be found online. It benefits students and researchers who need to evaluate sources for academic purposes. 3. Is the source twenty years out of date? Snell, Julia. An example of a Wikipedia page that has been vandalized to include a joking reference to the filmFight Club. What are the top three things that indicate that my source is credible? December 7, 2022. Google Scholar is a search engine for academic sources. Does the source support its arguments and conclusions with evidence? Sometimes, the currency of the source is very important. You can use the " CRAAP " test to help you evaluate the information sources you find. How do you evaluate the source of information? However, if you are researching the Peloponnesian War, a source from 200 years ago would be reasonable to refer to. Do they confirm or challenge established knowledge? There are six (6) criteria that should be applied when evaluating any Web site: authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, coverage, and appearance. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). You should also examine whether the author has other publications and if they are with well-known publishers or organizations. Relevance: Refers to the degree to which the information is related . Evaluating Your Sources. While almost anyone can produce a podcast, and topics range from discussing tv shows or books like The Bachelorand Harry Potter, other podcasts give in-depth information about science, history, anthropology, and a wide variety of other topics. Scribbr. Determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth, Increase the quality of the information you consume. You may need to do research to uncover the answers to some of these questions, but considering these questions and the answers is an important step in determining credibility of a source. Has the author been cited by other scholars? Does it look professional to you? Scholarly books are written with the sole purpose of informing; they offer new ideas, criticize old ones, and present new data or theories relevant to an audience of academic scholars. If so, it should have a clear bibliography that you will also be able to consult for further sources. This resource will teach your students how to locate reliable sources and how to evaluate websites for accuracy and credibility. It states: Users should be aware that not all articles are of encyclopedic quality from the start. While its not encouraged to use Wikipedia as one of your main sources, Wikipedia can be used as a jumping-off point for other sources. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Be sure they have a Creative Commons license allowing them to be duplicated and shared, and meet the CRAAP test criteria, especially in the authority section. If the opinion feels one-sided, does the author acknowledge opposing viewpoints? Using credible and relevant sources is important. What is the importance of material sources? The test focuses on five key aspects that can indicate the quality of a source and includes questions to ask of a source to evaluate its quality. Evaluating Sources for Credibility What does it mean for a source to be credible? They are not always reliable and may be written from a biased or uninformed perspective, but they can still be cited in some contexts. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Search engine optimization (often abbreviated SEO) is a strategy used to increase unpaid views on a website from search engines. . This could also give you insight into the author and publishers motivations. Using the library websites database search engine, use the advanced search to restrict your search results to peer-reviewed sources. 2015. Begin your in-depth evaluation with any landmark studies in your field of research, or with sources that youre sure are related to your research topic. Websites with some sort of commercial aspect end in .com (or .co.uk, or another country-specific domain). Because clickbait sources exist simply to promote webpages, they are not considered credible sources. All rights reserved. These sections usually provide information about who the author is and what sort of . Consider your audience and compare with a variety of sources. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. There are a lot of sources out there, and it can be hard to tell whats credible and what isnt at first glance. To help determine if you are looking at credible, quality information whether it be online or in a book or magazine, consider the "Five Ws" Who, What, When, Where and Why. Don't dismiss it completely; Gregor Mendel's work was cited only three times, criticized, and ignored for 35 years before his discoveries in genetics were recognized in the field of science. (2022, December 07). Backlinks to other sources are up-to-date and not broken. Is the journal indexed in academic databases? Often, it's possible to evaluate the credibility of web sources based on the title, date, and URL. For example, podcasts like Stuff You Missed in History Classand Historium Unearthiaprovide information on often-overlooked historical events. For example, companies that are owned by Google will most likely appear first when searching for something on Google. If youre just starting your research, you might look for sources that include more general information. If so, it's really important to find reliable sources to reference! As you navigate through different sources, you need to examine the authors and the websites other credentials before making assumptions simply by the domain extension. Before you evaluate your source, you need to first evaluate the purpose of your research. Language & Education: An International Journal 27.2 (2013): 110-128. Severe academic dishonesty can include buying a pre-written essay or the answers to a multiple-choice test, or falsifying a medical emergency to avoid taking a final exam. For a web source, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy. For example, Hoosier State Chronicles is a database that only houses Indiana newspapers, while JSTOR is a database that holds a wider variety of journals and books. A high number of Cited By results can often be a measurement of credibility. Evaluating the credibility of a source is an important way of sifting out misinformation and determining whether you should use it in your research. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. Google Scholar also has a function called Cited By that can show you where the author has been cited. Be aware of any credibility scandals that may have befallen even well-established academics. Finally, look at the date of publication to make sure the information is still valid. While a scientific study showed that Wikipedia is as accurate as professionally generated encyclopedias. Is the field currently dominated by particular theories or. Perspective. The information should be up to date and current. Last modified on Friday, August 12, 2008 Both National Geographicand TEDuse .com domain extension, despite the fact that theyre large organizations. Primary sources are often considered the most credible in terms of providing evidence for your argument, as they give you direct evidence of what you are researching. Browse through the Table of Contents and the Index. As you dig deeper into your scholarly research, books and academic journals are usually your best bet. During stressful times, most people lose their appetite You can also consider using an academic database like LexisNexis or government open data to get started. Do they benefit financially by promoting a particular view? Today, almost every print source has a digital edition (e.g., ebooks, online newspapers), and some academic journals only publish digitally. Though this sort of vandalism is rare, it is not unheard of. ACRL Framework: Authority is Constructed and Contextual A credible source is one that provides accurate and trustworthy information from experts in the field of study. Try out the Dependability Checklist. "Dialect, Interaction And Class Positioning At School: From Deficit To Difference To Repertoire." Is a source of funding disclosed? This stands for: If a bibliographic citation seems promising, it's a good idea to spend a bit more time with the source before you determine its credibility. 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. In the case of an anonymous author, you can check who published the website with, Be conscious of wording that indicates judgment. They often do not have single authors or publication dates, and their motivation can be more difficult to ascertain. Authority. Ryan, E. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. If a source does not pass the above guidelines, it does not mean that the information contained within is false. However, they are written to entertain a lay audience, not to inform a scholarly audience. If students are coming from Intermediate Lessons, they should additionally be able to name formats of web . Another form of clickbait is a page that challenges the viewer to a quiz or test. Are the journals policies on copyright and peer review easily available? For each criterion, there are several questions to be asked. This test is used to evaluate sources of information and determine their credibility. Timeliness. What sources you use depend on the kind of research you are conducting. As you continue to encounter more sources, evaluating them for credibility will become easier. Like other encyclopedias, Wikipedia can provide valuable information about certain topics. For example, if you were interested in examining how scientists use Twitter as a platform, you might find yourself quoting a tweet by Bill Nye or the physicist Brian Cox. Propaganda often relies on slogans or emotionally-charged images to influence an audience. Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. We are constantly surrounded by information, and it is not always easy to know which sources to trust. Is the author affiliated with a university or another institution? Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. This is especially important for science. Evaluate Sources With the Big 5 Criteria. Academics have a long memory; too many transgressions into the land of unreliable sources, and youll be a marked writer with a marred reputation. Are there any specific texts or scholars that have greatly influenced the field? Once you have an idea of the types of sources you need for your research, you can spend time evaluating individual sources. Sometimes simply typing an authors name into a search engine will give you an initial springboard for information. Scholarly books will provide an extensive list of references to bolster their academic credibility, whereas non-scholarly books often make claims without any credible referential support. Advocacy or non-profit organizations end in .org. Evaluating sources In order to persuade your reader of your position, your writing needs to incorporate evidence and sources. This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia, created by the Wikimedia Foundation. Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it with other sources. A private individual does not have the credibility needed for academic work; however, a large, established organization like the American Medical Association or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do. However, if you used a different search engine, such as Yahoo or Bing, your results may differ. It can also involve the selective reporting of true information in order to deceive an audience. California State University developed it in 2004 to help students remember best practices for evaluating content. Scholarly sources are written by experts in a particular discipline for other experts in their field. There are a few criteria to look at right away when assessing a source. When looking for sources online, its important to recognize which article titles sound like clickbait. Scholarly books are often published by university presses (Amherst College Press) and professional associations (American Historical Association), whereas non-scholarly articles are published by commercial publishers (Houghton Mifflin). This allows you to: A credible source should pass the CRAAP testand follow these guidelines: The CRAAP test is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are considering using. 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. As you examine each source, it is important to evaluate each source to determine the quality of the information provided within it. Privacy policy. What to look for when evaluating online sources Author. Social media is simply defined as any type of digital space that allows users to create content and share it with others in a social setting. Its important to evaluate the sources youre considering using, in order to: You should have a clear idea of your own research question or topic and think critically when evaluating sources. The domain extension can help you understand what type of website youre dealing with. Students are always told, Never use Wikipedia. Thats true you should never cite Wikipedia for multiple reasons: its written anonymously, so you cant know the credibility of the author, and its continually updated, so its not a stable source. Use information from a textbook only for the background information necessary to build the foundation for your more innovative argument. Online scholarly databases that can be trusted and are known to provide useful information for students include LexisNexis and EBSCO. It is an important component of information literacy. This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.. Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/ae\/Evaluate-the-Credibility-of-a-Source-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Evaluate-the-Credibility-of-a-Source-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/ae\/Evaluate-the-Credibility-of-a-Source-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/aid368290-v4-728px-Evaluate-the-Credibility-of-a-Source-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"