how do you evaluate the credibility of a source

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. The more radical the ideas presented in the source (in comparison to other sources on the same subject) the more carefully you should scrutinize it. A database is a large collection of data, usually about one specific topic or idea. Search Engine Optimization Search engine optimization (often abbreviated SEO) is a strategy used to increase unpaid views on a website from search engines. Begin by reading the Introduction or the PrefaceWhat does the author want to accomplish? When looking for online sources, using a database helps you find credible information. The credibility of an author is very important in determining the quality of sources you have located and are thinking of using for your research project. Evaluation of a source's credibility is a complex process that requires critical thinking and reading. 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. 2015. If you are interested in using a YouTube video in your research, look at whether the publisher is a larger organization (such as TED or National Geographic) or a single user that only publishes under a username. Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased. [For web sources]: The layout of my source is professional and recently updated. How do you evaluate the source of information? Consulting the index for key terms or the names of important scholars. Transcript Need Help? The more questions you can answer "yes", the more likely the Web site is one of quality. 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. Students understand the importance of critically assessing a source's credibility. Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias. Example of just one fallacious quotation that can be found online. The questions below should be asked when evaluating any . It benefits students and researchers who need to evaluate sources for academic purposes. Some personal websites exist solely to spread propaganda or other biased information. Remember, your use of sources is a means of supporting the argument you make. This is especially important for science. Of course, there is no such link. Finding the authors educational background and areas of expertise will help determine whether the author has experience in what theyre writing about. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. There are several main criteria for determining whether a source is reliable or not. Google Scholar also has a function called Cited By that can show you where the author has been cited. Podcasts are becoming a much more popular digital medium today. Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. Web. Authority. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. An article that has been peer-reviewed is credible, but it still might . Google Scholar is a search engine for academic sources. 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). "Dialect, Interaction And Class Positioning At School: From Deficit To Difference To Repertoire." You need to make sure the source is accurate and credible. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Evaluating sources In order to persuade your reader of your position, your writing needs to incorporate evidence and sources. Opinion: The Purdue OWL is the best website for writing help. The Big 5 Criteria can help you evaluate your sources for credibility: Currency: Check the publication date and determine whether it is sufficiently current for your topic. The ability to navigate and evaluate digital resources is essential to both educators and students. However, you might not want to quote a tweet by someone with an anonymous name and a Twitter handle such as @iluvscience321. How do you evaluate credibility sources? You should have a clear idea of your own research question or topic and . Revised on When doing research, you will use a variety of sources such as books, newspaper articles, magazines or journals, and websites. This website collects and publishes the ideas of individuals who have contributed those ideas in their capacities as faculty-mentored student scholars. We are constantly surrounded by information, and it is not always easy to know which sources to trust. Before you evaluate your source, you need to first evaluate the purpose of your research. As you examine each source, it is important to evaluate each source to determine the quality of the information provided within it. 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 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. Websites that end in .com and .org are sometimes credible, but sometimes not. The OER Commons is a public digital library that is curated by librarians, and a solid place to start. They often do not have single authors or publication dates, and their motivation can be more difficult to ascertain. This is a great place to kick off your research. In order for a source to be included in a database, it usually must go through a screening process that requires individuals to verify the information in the text. 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. If youre just starting your research, you might look for sources that include more general information. There are no glaring grammatical or orthographic errors. Note for Purdue Students: Schedule a consultation at the on-campus writing lab to get more in-depth writing help from one of our tutors. A few of the most common social media platforms are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Instagram. political)? by American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Comparative Literature Association, Learn more about our academic editing services, First-hand evidence giving you direct access to your research topic, Second-hand information that analyzes, describes, or, Sources that identify, index, or consolidate primary and secondary sources. Third, how current is the source? The Purdue OWL is clearly the only safe choice for student writers. You may have to go back to the home page of the site to see credentials. 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. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. Can the information you found be verified elsewhere, even via a simple Google search? What authority does the author have? (74) $3.99. There are a few criteria to look at right away when assessing a source. Determining a websites credibility can be especially confusing for websites with a .org extension that appear to have a governmental or educational affiliation. If you have doubts about an on-line source, you can discuss it with your instructor or TA and you can elect not to use it. Evaluating Your Sources. It is important to consider how the author uses these sources. Does the source provide original information (primary), or does it summarize information from other sources (secondary)? Propaganda: Some students have gone on to lives of crime after using sites that compete with the Purdue OWL. Conclusions that describe something as "bad or good" or "right or wrong" should be examined critically. Validity is harder to assess, but it can be estimated by comparing the results to other relevant data or theory. a .edu address. Most clickbait articles want to shock the reader, so be aware of words like surprising, alarming, and shockingin titles. Could the evidence be used to draw other conclusions? Scholarly databases are your best friend when it comes to finding credible sources for research. . Below are some suggestions for evaluating digital texts and a breakdown of the different types of sources available online. They are intended for a scholarly audience, include a full bibliography, and use scholarly or technical language. Using credible and relevant sources is important. CRAAP test Currency The timeliness of the information. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Advocacy or non-profit organizations end in .org. First, what are the qualifications of the author? It just indicates that the source may not be reliable. You will likely use a combination of the three types over the course of your research process. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 849,783 times. Most clickbait articles want to shock the reader, so be aware of words like, Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students. Both National Geographicand TEDuse .com domain extension, despite the fact that theyre large organizations. 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. How does the author situate their argument in the field? Are the journals policies on copyright and peer review easily available? When you are determining the credibility of the author of a book, you will first check the book in the following places: Author's note (if there is one), Foreword and/or Introduction (if there is one), and the About the Author (often found on the back cover). It is an important component of information literacy. 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. For example, podcasts like Stuff You Missed in History Classand Historium Unearthiaprovide information on often-overlooked historical events. You should search for additional texts on the topic to find related sources, sources in which this source is cited, and sources that cite this source in order to get a stronger picture of its intellectual relevance and value. 4. 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. However, if you have an active .edu email account from a university where you either attend or work, you can make use of the librarys subscriptions to databases to access these journals. Evaluating Your Sources. Privacy policy. 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. December 7, 2022. A credible source is one that provides accurate and trustworthy information from experts in the field of study. Open Educational Resources, or OERs, are materials that have been licensed for free use in educational settings. 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. 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. The date something was published can greatly affect the information given. For this reason, academic journals are often considered among the most credible sources you can use in a research project provided that the journal itself is trustworthy and well-regarded. How does the website look and feel? Coverage (relevance): Consider whether the source is relevant to your research and whether it covers the topic adequately for your . If you have never heard of the source, you probably should do some research to learn about it. Any resourceprint, human, or electronicused to support your research topic must be evaluated for its credibility and reliability. If one or more of your sources proves problematic, you will find yourself deleting sections of your paper and scrambling for new sources at the last second. These sites may include lecture materials and interpretation of sources. When Isaac Newton said the famous quote "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.", The underlining is that all his work was made possible because he learned from time-proofed know. Timeliness. Note that this does not mean that all information found in well-packaged sources is credible. Newspapers and magazines. "Reputation And Impact In Academic Careers." Are there any oversights or weaknesses in the research? Snell, Julia. Google Apps. Can you identify who the author is? Similarly, Wikipedia is not considered a reliable source due to the fact that it can be edited by anyone at any time. Understanding which articles are clickbait helps you evaluate your sources for credibility. What about the news? How does the author use evidence? Podcasts are essentially audio files that can be streamed on a computer or mobile device, like portable radio. Revised on Both of these individuals have blue checks next to their Twitter handles, which means the accounts are verified. These will give you a clear idea of the authors intentions, the parameters of the research, and even the conclusions they draw. Your judgment should involve critical thinking and assessment of purpose, currency, authority, and accuracy of the source. Similarly, YouTube videos can either be posted by a large organization or a single user. June 2, 2022 When evaluating the credibility of a website, look first at the URL. As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, you can use preliminary evaluation to determine which sources might be relevant. 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. Use this checklist to determine if an article is credible or not: Does the person or organization that published the work have an agenda (ex. Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events youre studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)? It's important to evaluate the sources you're considering using, in order to: Ensure that they're credible. Web. Consider the tone, style, vocabulary, level of information, and assumptions the author makes about the reader. But there are many articles published under the guise of scholarly work, by individuals claiming expertise but which are of highly questionable credibility. What is the importance of material sources? For example, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals will provide only that information which supports their cause, whereas the U.S. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. Currency: Timeliness of the information and whether it is up-to-date and relevant to the topic at hand. Discuss the information you find with your health care provider before you rely on it. PNAS Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 111.43 (2014): 15316-15321. 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. As you dig deeper into your scholarly research, books and academic journals are usually your best bet. The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching. 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. It is important to critically evaluate images you use for research, study, and presentations. They are usually part of a series or follow a theme. 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. When looking for sources online, its important to recognize which article titles sound like clickbait. Government-affiliated websites end in .gov. Audience. Scribbr. Secondary sources are articles that help people to understand their research topics. Learn what questions to ask and some strategies to apply for determining if your source is or isn't appropriate for your project. NOTE: If you are researching varied opinions and biases on a topic, then such sources would be appropriate. Are they an innovator, or a follower and promoter of the status quo? Beware of grandiose claims, and critically analyze anything not cited or backed up by evidence. Anyone can write anything they want on the Internet. 2. Here are five ways to help you identify a reliable source: 1. I have checked that it is supported by evidence and/or verifiable elsewhere. by Are there any specific texts or scholars that have greatly influenced the field? Use Wikipedia as a starting point that points you toward better sources. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Who are the intended readers and what is the publication's purpose? CRAAP test One of the best ways to evaluate source credibility is the CRAAP test. Use information from a textbook only for the background information necessary to build the foundation for your more innovative argument. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. In general, check for vague terms, buzzwords, or writing that is too emotive or subjective. At the bottom of most Wikipedia pages, you can find a list of sources that will take you to other pages (see image below). When evaluating academic journals or books published by university presses, its always a good rule of thumb to ensure they are peer-reviewed and published in a reputable journal. Is your topic covered in enough depth to be helpful? Browse through the Table of Contents and the Index. How do you evaluate the credibility of a source? 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. What are the top three things that indicate that my source is credible? Has the author been cited by other scholars? Propaganda is the (usually biased) spreading of information for a specific person, group, event, or cause. You may have found good information, but your provider can tell you whether it's good for you. 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. My source is relevant to my research topic. Check for a list of references or other citations that look as if they will lead you to related material that would be good sources. Citation Styles & ToolsQuick MLA, APA, and Chicago style guides for bibliographies; tools for storing and organizing sources. Consider your audience and compare with a variety of sources. One of the first steps in evaluating a source is to locate more information about the author. Like YouTube videos, podcasts can be valuable resources if used correctly. Is the source twenty years out of date? How does the source engage with them? 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. In general, while you will probably not use a lot of social media in your research, if you do, try to locate the people or groups behind the usernames. One of the best ways to evaluate source credibility is the CRAAP test. When writing a research paper, always use and cite credible sources. letters, interviews). This could also give you insight into the author and publishers motivations. Last modified on Friday, August 12, 2008 If the name or source is familiar, you may tend to believe the information. 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. Because of the .org domain extension, it appears more credible. How do you determine credibility of evidence? Always make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism. Almost all peer-reviewed journals require a subscription fee. Most sites that use clickbait use it to simply gain clicks on their site. Are there links to other sources on the page, and are they trustworthy? Which of the following sources appear credible and which appear questionable: Stem Cell Basics. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Fish and Wildlife Services might provide the same family of information without agenda bias. The sources you use are an important component of your research. (2022, December 07). Language & Education: An International Journal 27.2 (2013): 110-128. Examine each information source you locate and assess sources using the following criteria: Timeliness. The CRAAP test is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are considering using. Here are five ways to help you identify a reliable source: 1. Reducing the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables does not influence the consumption of these foods. 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. Timeliness. For web sources, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy. Today, almost every print source has a digital edition (e.g., ebooks, online newspapers), and some academic journals only publish digitally. The CRAAP test is a catchy acronym that will help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are thinking about using. Examine the source's and author's credentials and affiliations Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students. {"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":"